


Yuri On Ice One Shots

by thesatanistauthor



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: A lot of one shots, AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Death, F/M, Fluff, Gay Smut, M/M, Multiple ships, Murder, Smut, all yuri on ice, im trash, mostly otayuri and victuuri, there is murder and death, theres so many im so sorry, varying lengths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 10:39:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 18
Words: 73,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11160189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesatanistauthor/pseuds/thesatanistauthor
Summary: I love YOI So much I started to write and I didn't stop.





	1. Champagne Kisses

12:00am. Viktor's phone buzzed on the bedside table of the hotel room he was sharing with Yuri. Thankfully, he stayed sleeping, leaving Viktor to check his phone. He knew who it was, and what he'd be saying. 

It was a text from his fellow skater, Chris. As usual, the text simply said, 'Champagne and chill? x', and it never failed to make Viktor smile. Carefully, he crept out of the bed and put on a dressing gown, leaving Yuri to rest in the bed by himself. 

He snuck up to the pool at the roof of the large hotel, where Chris was waiting. When he finally got to the roof, Chris got up and greeted him with a warm hug and a loving smile, and as usual had a bottle of champagne at hand. Viktor smiled back, a blush gently dusting over his cheeks. 

"What took you so long?" Chris asked, reaching to grab Viktor's hand. Viktor gladly took Chris' hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as Chris lead the two over to the pool-side loungers. 

"Gotta be careful not to wake Yuri, you know. This has to be kept a secret, after all. I know it's wrong, but I still can't seem to stop." Viktor flicked his hair to the side, clearing his vision as he sat himself down opposite Chris. They both sat in silence as Chris popped the Champagne, pouring it into two tall wine glasses. They toasted, for whatever reason, be it good luck or just a simple toast. 

"Why do you stay with him?" Chris asked after sipping at his Champagne, swirling the liquid around in the glass as he awaited an answer. Viktor looked up, shrugging off the question. In all honesty, he didn't know why he stayed. He felt trapped in that relationship. He felt as if he was drowning. 

"Chris, I don't know. I don't know how to leave him, and if I leave him now I'll look like an utter ass. I can't do that." Viktor sighed, taking a sip of the sparkling liquid. Once again, the two fell into silence. Chris placed his glass down and stood up, before holding his hand out to Viktor. He placed his glass down too, grabbing Chris' hand to help him up. 

Before Viktor could do anything else, Chris pulled him in for a swift kiss. It lasted mere seconds, as most of their kisses were. It was a sweet, gentle kind of kiss, one which left you longing for more. 

"Viktor, I have to tell you something." Chris spoke, his usual happy chirpy tone now serious and slightly nervous. 

"What is it?" Viktor's mind rushed through possibilities. Had they been found out? Did Chris accidently tell someone about their affair? Was Chris going to stop seeing him? 

"I, um.. I really like you Viktor. More than I have anyone before. In fact, I think I may even love you. Gosh, I know it seems silly that I would say that but I truly mean it. I know I have no chance, as you have Yuri now. But these past few months have really been the best of my entire life." Chris blurted out, his face flushing a deep red by the end of it. Viktor laughed, also blushing, the relief of the moment getting to him. Chris frowned, thinking that Viktor was laughing at his confession. Chris let go of Viktor's hands, dropping his own back down to his sides as he lowered his head. 

"Chris, I know how you feel, believe me so. I may have had feelings for Yuri before, but my feelings for you are far stronger." Viktor grinned, causing Chris to snap his head up. They both laughed in relief. Chris placed his hand in the dip of Viktor's back, pulling him closer into his embrace. Viktor's hand absent-mindedly lifted to rest on the back of Chris' neck, closing the gap between them as they shared a passionate kiss. They knew it was risky kissing on top of an open roof-top, but they just wanted to share a moment together, even if it would ruin everything. Chris' hands moved to grip at Viktor's waist as the two parted from each other. Thy grinned, both blushing profusely. 

It was silent, the city night-life echoing through the air. A sudden click of the roof-top door caused the two to quickly sit back at the loungers, sipping away at their champagne like nothing was going on. Viktor turned his head back to see who had opened the door. No surprise, Yuri was standing there, his sleepy face adjusting to the sudden bright lights of the out-door pool. 

"Ah, Yuri! How are you, my dear?" Viktor chirped, chatting Yuri's attention, even if he was oly half awake. Yuri rubbed his eyes and waddled over to the two men drinking champagne, and sat himself down next to Viktor. He rest his head upon Viktor's shoulder, causing Chris to roll his eyes. 

"Thought you'd ran away," Yuri sleepily mumbled, pressing his lips to Viktor's cheek in a sloppy kiss. "Just came to see if you're okay."

"Yuri, my love, you're tired and you have a competition tomorrow, go back to the hotel room and get some rest. I'll be back soon, I promise." Viktor lied, very convincingly in fact. Yuri simply nodded and pushed himself up, leaving the two as he walked back through the roof-top door. Chris and Viktor sighed in relief, glad they hadn't been caught. They waited a moment, before they both got up and walked over to the side of the pool. Viktor sat on the edge, kicking his legs around in the water. Chris did the same only seconds later, leaning over to kiss Viktor's flushed cheek. 

"I'm a bad person, aren't I Chris?" Viktor mumbled, keeping his head low, the swashing of the water in the pool breaking the silence. 

"Honestly? Yes. You're cheating on Yuri, with me. I'm a bad person too." Chris replied, nudging Viktor's shoulder with his own. Viktor didn't smile, nor did he react. What he was doing was obviously wrong and he felt guilty as hell over it, but for some reason he just couldn't seem to stop. If he broke up with Yuri now, and suddenly got with Chris, it'd be all too obvious that something was going on between them. 

"Chris, we can't keep doing this. We can't. God it hurts me to say that believe me, it does. But it's wrong." Viktor sniffled, his eyes filling with tears as he thought of the possibilty of losing Chris. He hadn't even had feelings this strong for Yuri before, making it even harder to choose between the two men. Chris nodded his head slowly, biting down on his bottom lip as he tried to process what Viktor was trying to say. The two men turned their heads to look at each other, and as much as they knew it was wrong, they shared another kiss. It was a short, rushed kiss. They knew that this would be their last kiss, and especially now.

"Viktor?" A sweet, tired voice rang through the silence of the roof-top, causing Chris and Viktor to swiftly part from each other. Viktor's heart dropped when he saw Yuri standing there, long sleeves covering his hands as he rubbed at his eyes, his dark raven hair all messy from his obviously rough sleep. "Is this what you've been doing every time you've sneaked off during the night?"

"Yuri please I can-"

"Can you really explain this? Was our love just a sick joke, was it just some way to get your fading fame back?" Yuri sobbed, wiping the falling tears from his flushed cheeks. Viktor felt his heart break in two at the sight of Yuri sobbing, and it was all because of him. "For a moment, I truly believed you loved me."

Chris sat awkwardly at the pool side, still kicking his legs about in the water as he waited for this moment to end. He knew that it'd probably be best to say nothing at all, so that's what he did. Yuri's sobs filled the air, along with Viktor's heavy breathing. He felt like his heart was in his throat at the moment, and he just wanted to run away from everything. Viktor pushed himself up from the pool side, slowly making his way over to Yuri. Viktor reached his arms out for Yuri, but the raven haired man shoved him away, turning his head to the side as he covered his mouth with his hand, trying to stop himself from sobbing anymore. 

"Yuri, please..." Viktor pleaded, taking a step towards the sobbing mess. Yuri reached his hand up and slapped Viktor across the cheek, causing him to stumble backwards. 

"No Viktor. We're done." Yuri announced, before turning away and running back inside the hotel. Viktor stood and watched as Yuri left, a single tear running down his red flushed cheek. Chris got up and walked over to Viktor, pulling him into a comforting embrace. The silver haired skater began to cry, sobbing into Chris' shoulder. Chris knew this couldn't carry on, he knew that when Yuri ended his relationship with Viktor, that theirs was over too. 

"Viktor, stop crying, please," Chris whispered into his ear, before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Viktor's head. "Crying won't help anything."

****

A few days had passed since Yuri found out about Viktor's affair with Chris. None of the three had kept contact with each other since that night, even though they were always around each other no matter what. The competition had gone well, every skater pulled off a brilliant performance. 

Viktor, however, watched from a distance as they all performed. He was a mess to say the least, and just wanted to be away from everyone and anyone. He felt like a monster and had refused contact with anyone who tried to see how he was doing, or even where he was. Even Yurio had tried to contact him, which was unusual for the russian teen. 

The hotel room was dark and quiet, the curtains stayed closed almost all day and Viktor simply sulked in the now empty bed of which he once shared with Yuri. A knock on the hotel door disturbed Viktor's self loathing silence. He decided that he'd get up and answer the door, perhaps it'd be good for him and help him feel better.

He was wrong.

He didn't expect to see Chris standing at his door, hands shoved in his pockets. He expected Yurio, maybe even someone new. 

"Chris, what the hell?" Viktor snapped, tugging his jumper sleeves over his bare hands. Chris shook his head, keeping his hands in his pockets as he lowered his head. Even he wasn't sure why he was there, he just knew he needed to see Viktor again. He needed to sort out this mess he'd made. 

"Can we talk? Please?" Chris' plea was desperate, and Viktor just couldn't say no. He opened the door some more, silently inviting in the other man to his hotel room. They sat on the messy, unmade bed, the curtains still closed shut. "Viktor, this place is a mess."

"Well yeah, it's a reflection of my life right now Chris, no need to make it even more known." Viktor mocked, pushing his silver locks from out his view. Chris was taken back by Viktor, as he usually wasn't this snappy. Infact, he was never snappy. He'd always been a smiley, happy chap. What had happened?

"Alright, calm down." Chris replied, pushing himself up off the bed. Chris couldn't stand how Viktor was living right now, and knew that living in this filth would not help him feel any better about himself. Viktor never retaliated, never spoke whilst Chris cleaned up his hotel room. It didn't take long, or so it seemed to Viktor. "Living like this won't help Viktor. Get up, get dressed, do what you need to do. You'll eventually die if you carry on like this."

"Good." Viktor scoffed, only moving from his spot on the bed when Chris glared at him. It took a grand total on thirty minutes for Viktor to fully be done with everything he needed to do. Thankfully, Chris had cleand up the entire hotel room by the time he came out from the bathroom. Viktor hadn't seen daylight for a while, therefore causing him to squint when the bright light confronted him.

"There, isn't that better?" Chris grinned, folding his arms over his chest. Viktor rolled his eyes and grunted, shoving his hands in his pockets. Chris frowned, his hard work seemed to do no good for Viktor. 

The two stared at each other in silence for a while, the only sound being the faint echo of city life and the tedious tick of the clock in the corner. After a short while, Chris let out a short, quick sigh before he strode over to Viktor, catching the silver haired skater off guard. Before Viktor could react Chris has grabbed his waist and pulled him close, and the two were sharing a long awaited kiss. It took a second or two for Viktor to realise what was happening, but after it sunk in, he took his hands from his pockets and wrapped his arms around Chris' neck, pulling him in closer as they shared the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. 

The two men parted from each other, both grinning and giggling. Viktor rested his forehead on Chris', the two basking in the comfortable silence surrounding them. 

"I missed you. I missed this." Viktor admitted, taking a step back from Chris as he took his hands in his own. Chris nodded in a silent agreement. 

"I have too. Give it time Viktor, and we can really be together. I promise."


	2. Red Phone (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a doctor working in a busy hospital, you have to expect the worst.

"Yurio, you look exhausted!" A fellow nurse joked, nudging his shoulder with her hand. The blonde man laughed tiredly, nodding in agreement.

"I feel exhausted, honestly." He tucked a strand of his blonde hair behind his ear, looking through the last of the patient files for that day. It'd been busy just as usual, luckily nothing too bad though. It was nearing midnight, and Yurio's shift ended in just under half an hour. It was his last shift of the week, and then he had a few days off to rest. He was thankful for that, as the past few days he'd been working overtime.

"Ah, just think, your break is coming up soon. Lucky you!" The nurse grinned, retying her hair into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. It was silent at the hospital, apart from a few sickly coughs or groans of pain coming from the few patients that were required to stay.

The silence was broken just minutes later by the scream of the red phone, which was used for serious emergencies such a car crashes, stabbings, heart attacks. You understand what I mean, things that could be life threatening. The two looked at each other, before the nurse decided to get up and answer it. Yurio watched as his co-worker took down the details of the patient, what had happened and everything else they needed to know. The blonde dropped what he was doing to help her set up the bed before running to grab some extra hands to help them.

Minutes later, a patient was rolled in and taken to a cubicle, where the nurses and doctors began working on them. Yurio arrived back to the cubicle after recruiting a small team of extra hands.

"So what's happened?" Yurio asked as he stepped into the cubicle from behind the curtain. No one said anything, they just looked at him with sad eyes. Yurio raised a brow at his fellow workers, until he looked at the patient laying on the bed. He gasped and stepped back, his hands flying up to cover his mouth. "No, no it can't be... Otabek?"

Yurio rushed over to his side, tears spilling down his cheeks as he looked down at the bloodied face of his partner. He used his shoulder to wipe the tears from his vision, his eyebrows furrowing together as he snapped his head up to look at the other doctors.

"We have to save him! Help me with this!" Yurio cried, trying his best to keep himself together as him and his co-workers began the work on Otabek. He'd been in a somewhat serious motorbike accident, leaving him unconscious. They managed to get him into a stable state at the scene, but it was yet to be known whether he'd have any serious lasting damage.

One of the nurses walked up to Yurio, gently placing her hands on his shoulder, causing him to jump and turn to face her. His face was flushed red and tears were running down his cheeks, and he was clearly in no shape to work.

"Yurio, come on. You can't work like this." She spoke softly, trying to convince him to leave Otabek's side. The blonde glanced down at his partner, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead before leaving the cubicle with the other nurse.

They sat down in the office, Yurio still trying his hardest not to break down completely. The nurse explained everything to Yurio, from how it happened to the chances he would have of survival. He sat and listened as best he could. He felt guilty for not being by Otabek's side, he should be there trying to save him from any lasting damage. Yurio would never be able to forgive himself if something terrible were to happen to his boyfriend.

****

A few hours had passed before any more news came Yurio's way. He was sat in the office until early mornings, he'd had no sleep for nearly 24 hours, but his worry kept him awake.

"Yurio?" The nurse popped her head around the door, seeing Yurio perched on the same chair he was hours ago. The blonde lifted his head up, waiting for the news whether it be good or bad. Nothing was exchanged between the two, no words or gestures, yet Yurio knew he was being asked to come see Otabek.

The nurse led Yurio to where they had moved Otabek's bed too. He was all cleaned up now, wire and tubes coming out from all over him, helping him fight. He looked broken, yet peaceful, like nothing could harm him. It broke Yurio's heart even more than before. With out second thought, Yurio jogged over to the bedside, sitting himself of the chair which had been placed just opposite. He took Otabek's cold hand into his own, pursing his lips together as he held back tears. He'd never expected to face something like this in his career as a doctor. Never in his life.

"Oh, Beka, what have you gotten yourself into?" Yurio half-heartedly joked, stroking Beka's cold hand with his thumb ever so gently. He let out a defeated sigh, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his partners hand. The constant beep of the heart monitor in the background would be enough to drive anyone crazy, unless you knew it was keeping someone you loved alive. "You always were a clumsy one."

He had a massive gash just above his right eyebrow, which had now been stitched up, but still looked swollen and awful. Despite the multiple wounds covering Otabek's face, he still looked beautiful. He still looked like Otabek.

"I always told you that I hated you riding that bike, that one day something would happen. Something... Like this." Yurio whimpered, wiping the falling tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. He let out a shaky sigh, still somewhat believing this was all some sort of horrible nightmare plaguing his dreams. 

The room fell into a deafening silence, the beep of the heart monitor and Yurio's shaky breathing being the only things which could be heard. He knew this would be a long road to recovery if Otabek managed to fight, but he was going to stay by his side the whole ride through, no matter what the cost may be. 

What would life be like after this? Would Otabek be healthy again, being able to do all he did before the accident, or would he have to depend on Yurio for however long he lasted? Would they be able to go on dates, and share beautiful memories together like he wanted? Yurio knew the chances of him being alive and healthy were slim compared to the chances of him living and having some sort of life-lasting damage. He would do absolutely anything for Otabek to live, he would trade his own life just so Otabek would be able to see daylight again, to able to see the sea of stars splashed across the dark night sky.

His thoughts eventually drove Yurio to sleep, his head resting on the bed infront of him. He slept for hours, and he truly needed it. He hadn't slept for over 24 hours now, and the tiredness always got to him. It made him angry, emotional, snappy. Well, that was usually as he was, but it was a tad worse when he was exhausted.

****

Yurio thought he was at home in his own bed when he woke up, and naturally sat up and stretched his arms out, groaning at the feel of his muscles stretching out after being dormant for hours. 

"Ah, you're finally awake." 

The strained voice frightened Yurio enough to the point he sat up so fast his chair tipped backwards, leaving Yurio rubbing the bump on the back of his head. The blonde sat himself up, groaning at the dim pain at the back of his head. Once he came to his senses. he swiftly scrambled back up on to his feet, his eyes widening when he saw Otabek awake and grinning in the bed before him.

"A-Am I dreaming?!" Yurio stuttered, a small smile slowly spreading on to his lips. Otabek shook his head slightly, being careful not to cause too much pain to himself. Yurio picked the chair back up, before standing next to Otabek , his hands covering his mouth and nose as he began to sob. Otabek being himself, and being the sap he was, sat himself up as best he could and reached his arms out for Yurio. The blonde was quick to respond and basically threw himself into the embrace of his boyfriend, breaking down in a fit of sobs on his shoulder. 

"Yura, baby, calm down. Everything is okay, I promise you that. I'm okay now, I'm okay, we're okay." Otabek assured the blonde, rubbing his back gently, holding him as close as was comfortably possible. 

"Beka, I thought you were dead, I'd thought I'd lost you..." Yurio cried into Otabek's shoulder, taking a deep breath moments later and pulling back from the hug. The two grinned at each other, Otabek reaching his hand up to place it on Yurio's cheek and wipe away the stray tears. Yurio without warning closed the gap between him and Otabek, pressing their lips together in a  passionate, loving kiss. It was short and snappy, but every ounce of love that Yurio had was put into it. 

"The nurse came in just moments after I woke up, and you were fast asleep and I didn't want to wake you. She explained everything, that'd I'd been hit off my bike by a speeding driver, that I am very lucky to be alive and as healthy as I am now. I was also lucky to suffer no extremely serious injuries, just a few broken bones here and there." Otabek grinned, tucking Yurio's blonde hair behind his ear. "They said by next week, if everything goes to plan, I should be out of here."

****

"Finally, the last of my physio is done!" Otabek threw his arms in the air in celebration as they walked out the hospital, Yurio following close behind, an exaggerated sigh leaving his lips as he shook his head. 

"I'm proud of you, you've come a long way in the past few months." Yurio admitted, wrapping an arm around Otabek's waist as they walked back to the car together. Otabek wasn't allowed to drive anymore, mostly due to the fact the crash he had impacted his ability to use his legs as well as he used to. 

The drive home was quiet, they both kept quiet as Yurio drove and Otabek rested. The sun was starting to lower in the sky, giving the horizon a pinky hue to it. It was so good to be home, and the after getting out the car, Otabek jogged straight over to their garage and disappeared out of sight. Yurio thought nothing of it and took his own time, locking the car behind him as he walked towards the front door. As he pulled his front door key out his back pocket, he heard the low grumble of an engine. No, he was sure he turned the car engine off? The blonde raised a brow as he turned around, no one was one the street. No one else was running their car. Seconds later, Otabek appeared from the garage on his newly fixed motorbike. 

Yurio sighed and swiftly made his way over to his boyfriend who was perched on the motorbike that once nearly killed him. His brows were furrowed together in anger, and Yurio saw red from how angry he was. Otabek had been told he was never allowed to drive any sort of vehicle again, but he was never one to listen to advice after all, he just did as he pleased even if it meant it'd piss of Yurio.

"You better get off that god damn bike before I shove it so far up your ass your blood turns into diesel!" The blonde snapped, pointing his finger in his partner's face. Otabek simply chuckled lowly at Yurio's actions and grinned, revving the engine of his bike. Yurio snapped and let out a short scream of frustration and stomped his foot on the ground like a child, before sharply turning around and stomping back off into the house. 

Otabek pulled out from the drive way, driving his bike up and down the street multiple times, revving his engine everytime he passed the front window, trying to catch Yurio's attention. He did it a few more times before he gave up, knowing it wouldn't work no matter how hard he tried. Otabek continued driving up and down the street a few more times, Yurio watching him secretly. Yurio wouldn't lie, he found Otabek riding a motorbike extremely attractive. He watched with a small grin up turning the corner of his lips. Yurio sighed, turning away from the window as he began to walk towards the kitchen, but the sudden sound of metal skidding across tarmac stopped him in his tracks. For a moment he thought he was just hearing things, until he turned around and looked outside. Yurio's heart dropped as he saw Otabek lying on the ground, completely still and his bike a few metres across from him. 

The blonde screamed out Otabek's name, rushing outside towards his partner, who still hadn't moved an inch. He dropped to his knees by his side, turning Otabek over and carefully taking his helmet off. This didn't seem real, just like the first time didn't, and Yurio didn't want to believe this was happening again. 

Yurio's hand pushed Otabek's hair from his face, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked down at his face. He was breathing, thank God, but he wasn't moving. After a few seconds, Otabek blinked his eyes open, looking up at Yurio's concern ridden face. 

"Otabek, shit, are you okay?" Yurio rushed out, carefully sitting his partner up, watching as Otabek nodded his head. "You stupid, stupid boy! I told you not to get on that bike, I told you to get off it!" 

Otabek moved himself so he was on one knee, bent over like he was trying to push himself up to stand. He groaned a little, his hand shooting to his band as he rubbed it, and even though his head was lowered Yurio could still see the pain twisting his face into a frown. 

"Beka..?" Yurio questioned, bending himself down a little to try and see his partners face, only to be met with the smirk he knew all to well. Otabek raised his head and straightened his back so he was looking Yurio directly in the eyes, his raven hair falling just in front of his vision. He brought his hand out from behind his back, a small velvet box in his palm. He opened it to reveal a small silver band, a grin now taking over from his boyish smirk. Yurio's hands instantly raised to his mouth, his eyes once again brimming with tears as he realise what was happening.

"Yura, I can't put into words how much I absolutely adore you, you make me so so happy. You helped me through the past few very tough months, never leaving my side despite my constant break downs and sudden anger outbursts. You helped me become a stronger person. I can never repay you for all you have done, but it made me realise just how special you are to me. I want to spend my life with you, Yuri Plisetsky. Will you marry me?" 

Yurio nodded his head, tears spilling down his cheeks now as he threw his arms around Otabek's neck, knocking them both to the ground. Yurio was quick to press his lips against his partners, sharing a sweet, tender kiss between the two. 

"Yes, yes, a million times yes." The blonde whispered, tears still spilling from his eyes as he stared down at his partner. 

Otabek grinned up at Yurio, pressing a small kiss to the tip of his nose. He'd always been a trickster, but this was a whole new level. One that Yurio would never be able to forgive him for.

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JUST A FAIR WARNING I AM NO DOCTOR AND DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW TO CARE FOR SERIOUSLY INJURED SO PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME IM SORRY IF THIS IS ALL EXTREMELY INCORRECT!!!!


	3. Tease (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri has crushed on Otabek for the longest time now, and would do anything to be with him. Otabek knows this and constantly teases Yuri to the point Yuri snaps.

"Oh Yuri!" Viktor's overly sweet voice echoed throughout the empty hotel corridors, causing Yuri to freeze up and groan. He flipped his hood up and turned on the ball of his feet, walking the opposite direction to Viktor's voice. He didn't want to have to deal with the sappy man at early hours in the morning, it made him sick. 

The blonde was quick to walk down the halls of the hotel, and it almost seemed like a maze because the hotel was so damn big. Yuri considered Viktor a friend and all, but he didn't really enjoy what was included in this friendship package Viktor had to offer. Hell, he was a great man, but a little over-bearing at times. 

Yuri was swiftly walking down the hall with his head down, when all of a sudden he was tugged to the side into another corridor of the hotel. He yelped a little, but a hand was quick to cover his mouth, another arm wrapping firmly around his waist to keep him from moving. Viktor skipped down the hall in front, not bothering to look down the side. The blonde let out a sigh of relief as he passed, his captor then releasing him from his grip. Yuri turned to face who ever had dragged him into the corridor, only to be met with the childish smirk of none other than Otabek Altin. He rolled his eyes, brushing past Otabek without a second thought. However, Otabek used his arm to stop Yuri from walking away, leaning in to whisper in the blonde's ear before moving his arm.

"Do I not get a thank you, Princess?" Otabek whispered, sending shivers down Yuri's spine. Otabek laughed lowly, moving his hand so Yuri could continue walking away from him. The blonde wasted no time in jogging off, once again making a turn at another corridor and leaning against the pale yellow wall. Otabek had called Yuri princess since they had first met, it was a joke about Yuri having some what long hair. Yuri didn't hate it; in fact, he loved it when Otabek called him that, but Otabek knew that all to well and used it to his advantage. 

Yuri slid himself down the wall, eventually sitting on the dusty carpet below him, head hung back against the wall. It was no lie he had a massive crush on Otabek, shit, he found that boy more attractive than anyone else. He wanted to be with him so badly, but knew that was not a possibility now and would probably not be any time soon. Otabek knew Yuri liked him, and would use that to his advantage. 

"I never got a thank you." Otabek's voice startled Yuri, causing the blonde to flinch at the sudden noise. He looked up to see Otabek leaning against the wall next to him, once again that cheeky smirk playing at his lips. Yuri's heart skipped a beat, and it almost gave out when Otabek knelt down next to him, eventually pushing him to the floor so he was leaning over Yuri. His hands were either side of Yuri's head, stopping him from going anywhere. This wasn't exactly a great place for something like this to be happening, considering they were in an open corridor in the middle of a busy hotel. 

"Otabek, stop this." Yuri whispered, pressing his hands against the ravenette above him, trying to shove him off. Otabek was a lot bigger and stronger than Yuri, so that did nothing to help his situation. Otabek chuckled lowly and leant down even more, his lips ghosting over the skin on Yuri's neck, causing the blonde to let out a little whimper. Yuri's fingers curled around the fabric of Otabek's shirt, absent-mindedly tugging him down closer to him. Otabek moved one of his legs to squeeze between Yuri's, really giving Yuri no chance of escape until Otabek was satisfied. 

Otabek lingered like that for a few seconds, teasing Yuri greatly, before pushing himself up off the helpless blonde. He left Yuri lying on the hotel floor, all flustered and confused as to what had just happened. 

"Otabek, what-"

"Don't tell anyone, okay?" Otabek winked down at Yuri, before leaving just as fast as he'd appeared. Yuri was quick to scramble onto his knees, his hand over his chest as he tried to catch his breath, his head racing with thoughts. He was so enticed in this other world of his that he hadn't even noticed that Viktor had found him.

"Yurio? Are you okay?" Viktor was quick to kneel down by Yuri's side, rubbing his back to help regulate the teens erratic breathing. The teen basically fell into Viktor's chest, needing the support from him. Viktor's arm wrapped around Yuri's shoulders, consoling the sobbing teen. He pushed the blonde hair from Yuri's eyes, smiling softly at him as he wiped away the tears. "What's wrong, darling?"

"Nothing, just a lot on my mind." Yurio rushed out, pulling his sleeves over his hands to dry his cheeks off. No matter how hard he tried, the tears wouldn't stop spilling down his red flushed cheeks, soaking his jacket sleeve with salty tears. Viktor let out a quiet sigh, standing up and bringing his fellow Russian with him, before he walked him back to his and Yuuri's shared hotel room. 

They entered the room together, Yuri still stood by Viktor's side as they walked over to the neatly made bed, where thy both sat down to talk. The silver haired man rubbed comforting circles into Yuri's back, waiting for Yuri to speak up about what had upset him so much. It was silent for a good while, Yuri still trying to find the courage to talk about what was getting to him so badly.

"Yurio, you know you can talk to me." Viktor softly spoke, tucking a strand of hair behind Yuri's ear. The blonde nodded, he just wasn't great with words and didn't want to sound stupid.

"It's Otabek." Yurio bluntly admitted.

"Otabek? But he's such a nice boy!" Viktor grinned, nudging Yuri's shoulder with his own. He laughed slightly, before realising the pained look on Yurio's face. "What's he done?"

"I like him, Viktor. I like him a lot. I really really do. Hell, I know he doesn't like me but... He knows I like him and uses me to his advantage. No, that makes him sound like a bad person, he really isn't. God damnit!" Yurio shouted, getting frustrated at the fact he couldn't word it correctly. He clenched his fists, a natural reaction for when the teen got angry. He took a deep breath and carried on with what he was trying to say. "I want him to stop. I want him to stop calling me all these nicknames, I want him to stop pinning me against walls and on the floor, I want him to stop teasing me because it's driving me insane. He told me to tell no one."

"Yuri, my love, that's not right! He shouldn't do that to you, it's wrong! I'll get him to stop, I promise you that okay? Now, you need to head down to breakfast and get some food in you, I'll go find Otabek." Viktor smiled reassuringly, before getting up and walking out his hotel room, Yurio following quickly behind him. 

****

The breakfast hall was empty, only a few other people scattered around here and there. He rushed to quickly get his usual blueberry muffin and headed back out the dining hall, where he went to find a quiet place to sit. He eventually found a small place, a plain white couch by a tall window which overlooked the city from the fifth floor of the hotel. It was a peaceful place, and he was glad it was unoccupied. He sat on the couch to eat his muffin, gazing at the beautiful view before him, silently watching as the birds flew by in their quaint flocks. The teen finished his muffin in a flash; there was nothing he enjoyed more than a simple blueberry muffin in the mornings. 

He sat on the couch for a few more minutes, watching the city life scatter around as the morning went on. He enjoyed his solitude. He enjoyed the silent air around him. Yuri let his mind wonder, a little grin creeping onto his lips as his thoughts began to swirl. 

A pair of strong hands being placed on Yuri's shoulders snapped him out of his deep thoughts, causing him to turn around and look at whoever had disturbed him. To no surprise, Otabek was stood there, smirk and all. Yuri scoffed at him, turning back around to look outside. Otabek leant down, moving his arms so they were draped over Yuri's chest, his lips once again ghosting over the skin on the teens neck. 

"Yura..." Otabek whined, his voice slightly hoarse and rough, causing Yuri to bit down on his bottom lip. He kept his arms crossed, refusing to fall into the trap of Otabek's God like charm. Perhaps if he ignored the other boy, he would leave him alone. Hell, he didn't want Otabek to leave him alone, he loved the attention he received from him. "Yura, baby..."

"Fuck off, Otabek." Yuri snapped, pushing Otabek's arms off of him and swiftly standing up off the couch, glaring at the boy behind him, fists clenched at his sides. The raven-haired boy stood wide eyed at the pissed off teen, wondering what he had done so wrong. 

"Yuri, what-"

"No, stop! Stop doing this to me, Otabek! It's not funny anymore, you're making me go insane and I hate it! I feel dirty! You're using me like a damn dog toy just to please yourself and I just want it to stop. Please, just stop using me and bringing my hopes up." Yurio spoke, his tone cold and harsh. Otabek frowned, tilting his head to the side as he watched the blonde tear up, wiping away the tears with his sleeve. Yuri let out a harsh sob, his hands covering his eyes as he tried to rush past Otabek. Of course, Otabek had to stop him, but this time it felt different. 

His grip was soft, comforting in a strange way. His arms were rested on Yurio's shoulders, keeping him from going anywhere. Otabek bent down to try see Yurio's face, only to frown when he realised that he'd caused Yurio to be a sobbing mess. He pulled the teen in for a comforting hug; it was the second time this morning Yuri had broken down in front of someone, and it was only 11 A.M. 

"I'm so so sorry, Yuri..." Otabek mumbled into the teen's hair, trying to comfort him as best he could. He'd never even realised what he was doing to Yuri was slowly destroying him as it had. He felt awful, and he just wanted to erase it all and start again. Out of nowhere, Yuri suddenly pushed Otabek away from him, causing the older one to stumble back as Yuri managed to run off without being interrupted. 

Yuri felt icky, and he needed to rid himself of the ick.

****

All the skaters were at the rink as usual, practising for the upcoming championships. Yuri was watching from the sidelines as Viktor and Yuuri polished their pair skate. As much as Yuri didn't get on with Katsudon, he did admire how he skated. It was beautiful, really, he had some amazing talent. The two finished their practise and left the ice to the applause of the other skaters. Most of the skaters left for lunch, but Yuri decided to stay. He slipped on his skates and took to the ice, feeling a wave of relief wash over him as he glided across the smooth surface of the ice.

He felt free again, like nothing in the world could get to him. The ice was like a therapist to him, silent therapy to say the least. Yuri felt as if he was flying.

Perhaps, that's because he was.

Someone had smacked straight into him, sending him flying backwards on to the ice. Today was just not his day, nothing seemed to be going right for the poor teen. 

"Sorry, Yuri!" The voice echoed around the ice rink, and Yuri sat himself up to scowl at Chris as he spun past him. Yuri felt as if he was about to snap at any given second. He pushed himself up and made his way over to the edge of the rink, jumping from the ice to the solid floor on the other side. He took off his skates, cursing at Chris under his breath, and slipped on his other shoes which he had left under the bench. He watched Chris land a toe loop before he stormed off to the changing rooms, which just so happened to be empty. The ten almost ripped his locker door off in frustration, sighing as he shoved his skates back in there and slammed the metal door shut. 

Yuri took a deep breath to calm himself down, resting his forehead against the cool metal locker in front of him. He watched from the corner of his eye as Otabek came in, almost completely unaware that Yuri was also there. The teen furrowed his brows as his thoughts rushed around, but his thoughts weren't enough to hold him back this time. Heck, when had they ever held him back?

He rushed over to Otabek's side, his loud foot steps catching the attention of the other teen, causing him to turn to watch Yuri race over to him. Otabek was about to say hello to Yuri, but was cut off when the blonde grabbed the collar of his shirt and swiftly closed the gap between the two, Yuri kissing Otabek with a passion he had never felt before. Otabek stumbled back a little at the force of the kiss, he hand's falling to rest on Yurio's petite waist, holding him close to his chest. 

Yurio pushed Otabek up against the cool metal lockers, his hands moving to slide under Otabek's shirt, running his fingers across the tan skin of Otabek's waist. Their lips moved in sync together, causing the kiss to become more passionate and even more heated than intended. The raven haired boy had moved his hands to cup Yurio's cheeks, the pads of his thumbs smoothing across Yuri's cool cheeks. 

Within a second, Otabek and lifted Yuri up, the blonde wrapping his legs around the others waist as Otabek pinned Yuri against the lockers this time. Yuri had his fingers intertwined in Otabek's hair, the two finally breaking from each other, both breathing heavily as Yuri rested his forehead against Otabek's, a grin spreading across his lips as he tried to catch his breath. The raven haired boy let Yuri down, backing off from the lockers as he sat on the bench just opposite, Yuri quickly climbing into his lap, hands on shoulders as he once again kissed Otabek with just as much passion and need as before. Otabek's hands slid underneath Yuri's tight black turtle neck, resting on the warm skin of the teen on top of him, his fingers gently caressing his waist. 

Yuri let out a slight whimper as Beka did so, giving Beka the chance to press a soft lingering kiss to the underside if Yurio's jaw. The blonde gasped at the contact of Otabek's soft lips to his jawline, his fingers curling slightly, gripping the other boy's shoulders gently. Otabek chuckled lowly, moving Yuri off his lap as he stood up, leaving the blonde to pout on the bench. 

"I came here to practise, Yura, not to get rowdy with you." Otabek laughed slightly, walking back over to his locker. Yurio pushed himself up from the bench, tucking his pale blonde hair behind his ear as he shuffled over to Beka, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. 

"Beka, you can't just leave me like this..." Yura pleaded, pressing a kiss to the nape of Otabek's neck. The ravenette turned around in Yurio's arms to face him, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of the blonde's nose.

"Yuri, no. We have to go practise, plus you're far too young." Otabek grinned, managing to pry Yuri from his waist so he could go and train for the up coming competition in a few weeks time. Yuri wasn't happy about Otabek leaving him in the state he was.

****

"Yuri, you're not serious, right?" Viktor raised a brow at the teens confession, stopping in his tracks to turn and stare at the blonde.

"Yeah, I'm 100% serious, Viktor. It all happened so fast and I just couldn't control myself. We talked about it, believe me we did. And finally, after a few days, we decided we should maybe try dating." Yurio confessed, fiddling with his hands as he watched Viktor shake his head. He frowned at the man's reaction, dropping his hands to his side. 

"Yuri, you're young and stupid, you will do things like that. Just don't get yourself into any trouble okay?" Viktor sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. Yuri nodded, before spinning around and walking off. As he was walking down the corridor of the hotel towards the lobby, he saw Otabek walking towards him. Once the other had realised that Yuri was walking towards him, his face lit up and he smiled brightly at the blonde. 

Yura grinned and ran towards Otabek, jumping into his embrace once he got closer. Otabek caught him, wrapping his muscular arms around the blonde's waist as he regained his balance, burying his face in the crook of Yurio's neck. Beka put Yuri down, still embracing him tightly. It was like they hadn't seen each other in months; it had in fact, been just 2 days, since they had both been so busy training they had no time to see each other. 

"Good luck today, Beka." Yurio mumbled into Otabek's shoulder, before releasing Otabek from his embrace. The two shared a quick kiss between them before they ran off to do their own things in preparation for the competition coming up soon.

Yurio knew one thing he had learned from all this; he sure as hell loved being teased.


	4. Say No To This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Yuri and Otabek got together, Yuri refuses to believe that Otabek is still using him for his own pleasure and doesn't really have feelings for him. With the help of Viktor and Yuuri, the teen comes to terms with the ugly truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aka How many Hamilton song titles can I use in one story. Let's play a game. Everytime I use a Hamilton reference, you gotta comment :)
> 
> Also gotta say this: I am comfortable with writing lowkey smut, just not full blown sex and shit. So I will write what I feel comfortable writing. (Yuri is 16 in this and Otabek is 18 btw)
> 
> This is gonna be a sort of Part 2 to Tease so if you haven't read that PLEASE READ THAT BEFORE! It's also just gonna be a load of babble.

Yuri was sat on his bed in his hotel room, the small TV playing silently in the background as he scrolled through his Instagram feed on his phone. To no surprise, half of his feed was just selfies that Phichit had taken and uploaded within a matter of hours. That boy had some talent for always looking good in selfies; even if others didn't.

It was late, coming up to 10 P.M but Yuri wasn't sleepy at all. He was just relaxing in a loose top and some comfy sweats, enjoying the silence of his room. Yuri loved having his own little solitude, it let him be more relaxed and more himself, relieving stress like no tomorrow. But there were always times he liked to be with people, even if they were just sat together in complete silence.

As he was scrolling through Instagram, the phone vibrated in his hand and he glanced his eyes up from the current post to the text notification at the top of the screen. It was a text from Otabek, and the text simply said _'I'm coming to your room.'_

The ten rolled his eyes, swiping the notification up to get rid of it. He knew why Otabek was coming to his room, not to just simply hang out with him or to cuddle, no. It was to get what he wanted; a way to relieve pressure or to simply get off. Yuri didn't want to think that Otabek was using him for sexual pleasure, but the thought always lingered in the back of his mind like a parasite.

It hadn't even been three minutes since Otabek has sent the text, and he was already banging on Yuri's door. He seemed desperate to say the very least, otherwise he wouldn't have rushed his way over as quick as he had. The blonde placed his phone down on the bedside table and rushed to open the door. As usual, as soon as Yuri had opened the door, Otabek had basically thrown himself at the blonde. His hands were resting on Yuri's cheeks, their lips intertwined within mere seconds. 

Otabek pushed Yuri back towards the bed, the two both falling onto the mattress once Yuri's knees hit the edge. The blonde had his hands rested on Otabek's waist, digging his fingers into his skin, which was sure to leave marks tomorrow. Their kiss was sloppy and rushed, but this was usual now. They were never meaningful or passionate like they used to be, just full of lust and need. Otabek broke the kiss, moving his lips to caress the skin on Yurio's neck. Yuri whimpered, digging his fingers into Otabek's waist even more, his hips automatically moving on their own as he squirmed beneath the older boy. 

Otabek nipped and sucked the skin of Yuri's neck, leaving a nice little love bite for the world to see. The older boy moved his hips against Yuri's, a breathy gasp escaping his lips at the pleasurable friction it caused. The two were both breathing erratically, the room suddenly a lot warmer than Yuri first though. The blonde slipped his hands under the fabric of Otabek's shirt, ghosting his fingers over the warm skin of his lover as Otabek continued to leave marks over Yuri's pale skin. 

"Beka.. Beka, stop.." Yuri breathed, trying to push the other off of him, but having no luck in doing so. He knew if he didn't stop Otabek, thing's would go much further than he was comfortable with. Otabek didn't listen, until he looked up from the crook of Yuri's neck, seeing the slight panic on the younger boys face. He frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together as he climbed off of Yurio, helping the blonde sit up. Yuri's hand flew up to cover his neck, his fingers smoothing over the now tender bruises Otabek had so kindly given to him. 

Beka leant forward to press a kiss you Yuri's cheek, only for the blonde to turn his head as a sign to say 'no.' Otabek rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, sitting back against the pillows on the bed and he folded his arms over his chest.

The two sat in silence, the TV flickering light across the room. Neither one of them moved for a solid minute after, Yuri still covering up his marked neck with his hand. The teen turned his head to look at Otabek, who just glared at Yuri. He felt a lump form in his throat, and he felt like he could puke at any given moment. He pushed himself up and swiftly walked out his own hotel room, leaving Otabek alone on the bed. He heard Otabek grumble _'you'll be back,'_ as he shut the door behind him.

He didn't know where he could go this late at night, it was certainly too dangerous to go outside, so perhaps he could confide in another skater somewhere. At that moment, he knew exactly who to go to and where to find him. 

****

"Yuri! What a pleasant- Yuri?" Viktor raised a brow as his fellow Russian skater brushed past him into his hotel room, arms wrapped around himself and head hung low. He hadn't even bothered to say hello before barging in. Yuuri was sat on their double bed, glasses on the bridge of his noses and book in hand. He frowned, looking up at Yuri and placing his book of the bedside table, being sure to book mark it so he didn't lose his current spot. 

The teen sat himself on the bed right next to Yuuri, and for once in his life, he actually sought comfort from the two skaters. Katsuki moved so he was perched next to Yuri, and he glanced up to Viktor with a concern ridden look all over his face, Viktor simply shrugging a response to his husband. 

"Yuri, what's wrong?" Katsuki asked, placing his hand in the dip of the blonde's back, rubbing calming circles into his skin. They could both see that something was seriously bothering the younger skater, as he never acted like this. 

"Yura, is it Otabek again?" Viktor whispered, kneeling down in front of Yuri, resting his hands on the teens knees. Yuri only nodded in response, knowing all too well that if he spoke that the water works would start up. "Oh, sweetie."

"I know him. Otabek?" Yuuri asked, looking from Viktor to Yuri in confusion. Of course, Yuuri hadn't been told about the two. Viktor was quick to explain it, and Yuuri nodded when he finally understood, pursing his lips together before letting out a quiet sigh. Yuuri rubbed his temples, trying to think of some way to help the obviously distressed teen sat on the bed next to him. Katsuki glanced back at Yuri, the dark marks on his neck catching the man's attention. Yuuri frowned, tilting his head to the side as he observed the marks, suddenly realising what they were. "Yuri, did Otabek do this to you?"

Yuri nodded, his hand shooting up to cover the bruises on his neck, not wanting to be reminded of the nasty dark crimson marks Otabek left him with. His blonde hair fell in front of his eye's as he looked up to glance at Viktor, who was still kneeling in front of him. 

"I don't how to say no to this." Yuri spoke up, his voice soft and quiet. "He's still in my room as far as I know, and I can't go back there. I do love him, and he loves me I'm sure of it. He just needs to learn I'm not some sex toy." 

"Yura, I know you're going to hate me for this but he doesn't love you. He's using you, just as he did before." Viktor frowned, standing himself up as his knee's began to ache from being knelt so long. 

"I love him though. He has me helpless."

"We know." Yuuri added in, shooting a reassuring smile at the blonde next to him. Yuri stood up swiftly, turning to face the couple as he stepped back towards the hotel door. 

"Thank you, guys. I'm going to go back now." Yuri bluntly spoke, before whipping out the room and sprinting back to his own.

****

After last night's shenanigans, Yuri ended up going back to his own hotel room. No surprise, Otabek was still waiting there, and they talked it out. Yuri mentioned how he felt like Otabek was using him for pleasure and pleasure alone, that he didn't seem to care about anything else. He felt used and he hated it, he hated being relied on for sex, despite the fact he was still young. Otabek listened carefully, fully understanding how he had been over-bearing on Yuri and expected too much from him all at once. 

They'd eventually fallen asleep together, cuddled close together as they slept in the small single bed of Yuri's hotel room. Yuri was the first to wake of the two, the blinding light of the morning sun shining through the open curtains. Otabek had his arm draped over Yuri's waist, his head buried in the crook of the blonde's shoulder. Yura smiled, feeling content with staying like this for a while longer. He moved himself slightly, being careful not to wake Beka from his sleep. 

Yuri decided he wanted to go have a shower, and luckily managed to slip out of Otabek's grip and tip toe his way to the quaint bathroom in his room. He closed the door behind him, cautious to make as little noise as possible. Once the door was closed he let out a small sigh of relief, before turning to face the shower and turn the water on. The water warmed up fairly instantaneously, meaning Yuri could step straight in. He discarded his clothes to the side, before stepping under the running water, letting it run over his skin as he brushed his soaking hair from his eyes. 

In fact, Yurio was enjoying his shower so much he hadn't realised that he wasn't alone in the small bathroom. Otabek had woken up moment's after he'd gotten in the shower, and followed the noise of running water to discover Yuri having a shower. He stood, leant against the door way watching Yuri as he showered for a moment. 

Yuri was washing the shampoo from his hair when he felt two hands fall onto his waist. He knew it was Otabek yet it still startled him, causing him to almost fall over. Luckily Otabek was there to catch him. It didn't hit Yuri until a few moments later that they were both completely naked in a small confined space. Otabek's hands were still firmly planted on Yuri's waist, and they were scarily close together. 

"Uh, Beka, we are, um-"

"Naked? There is nothing to be embarrassed about Yura." Otabek whispered lowly in the blonde's ear, sending shivers down Yuri's spine. He could feel Otabek tug him back closer to him, his back eventually making contact with Beka's chest. His heart was racing, he had no clue what to do and had no way out of this. On one hand, he was enjoying the hell out of this moment and wanted it to continue, but on the other hand, his head was screaming for him to get out of there as fast as he possibly could.

The older boy lifted a hand off of Yuri's waist to tuck a strand of hair behind Yuri's ear, exposing the now somewhat purple marks on his pale skin. Yurio leant his head to the side, savouring the touch of Otabek's fingers ghosting over his skin. It felt magical.

Magical, but wrong.

"Otabek, we can't do this." Yuri sighed, turning the running water off and pushing past Otabek, grabbing himself a towel and wrapping it around his waist before turning to face the raven haired boy. Otabek cocked his head to the side in confusion, also grabbing a towel for himself to cover up. 

"What do you mean, Yura?"

"Can you please stop calling me that." Yuri spoke, leaning himself against the sink as he stared at Otabek across the room. 

"Right, sorry. Yuri." Otabek nodded, pursing his lips together.

"We can't be together, Otabek." The words flew out of Yuri's mouth, cutting a deafening silence between the two. Otabek furrowed his brows, biting down on his bottom lip as he replayed Yuri's words in his head on repeat.

"I see." Otabek sighed, leaning down to pick up his clothes from the floor before he headed towards the bathroom door. Yuri put his hand out to stop Otabek in his tracks, causing the boy to shoot a glare at Yuri.

"One last time." Yuri simply said, staring Otabek straight in the eyes. Beka hesitated, before gently resting his hand under Yuri's chin, leaning down to connect their lips in a swift kiss. For once, Yuri felt more than just lust from the kiss. Maybe that was just him trying to believe that maybe Otabek did really like him. 

****

"It's quiet uptown." Yuri commented, following Viktor through the bare streets. It was one of the last days before the competition, and most skaters were either practising or resting to be at their absolute best. Viktor and Yuri decided to spend a day together as they rarely had time to now. Yuuri had gone off with Phichit, and no surprise it was already plastered over Phichit's Instagram. 

"I'm excited to see you skate, Yura." Viktor grinned, watching the birds fly over head of them. Yuri didn't reply straight away; how was he meant to tell Viktor he decided not to skate this time around. Maybe he could fake an injury? Family emergency? 

"Viktor, I'm not skating." The teen rushed out, causing Viktor to stop in his tracks. The older Russian turned to face Yuri, a brow raised. "I just need to take a break, okay?"

"I understand. Take it slow, Yuri, and you'll blossom into something beautiful." Viktor smiled widely, taking a sizeable weight off of Yuri's shoulders. "I heard you ended things with Otabek this morning."

"Yeah I did, the whole relationship was just non-stop kissing and being sexual. I hated every moment of it." Yuri admitted, tucking his hair behind his ear as he let out a sigh of relief, for once not feeling trapped like a frog in a pond.

"I found him this morning, sitting outside the hotel all alone. He looked upset." Viktor revealed, catching Yuri's attention away from the pavement below him. "I sat next to him and we chatted, he explained to me that what he did was so wrong and that because of his actions he'd lost his best friend and his boyfriend all in one day. He truly seemed heart broken. I've never seen him in such a state."

"Is that so?" Yuri shoved his hands in his pockets, a sharp chill blowing past him causing him to shiver. Viktor hummed in response, his phone buzzing in his pocket. Yuuri's name lit up the screen, with a text that Yuri could not decipher. "Is that Katsuki?"

"Yeah, want's us to go back. Apparently there is a problem we need to sort." Viktor rolled his eyes and shoved his phone into his coat pocket,  and turned on the spot as he headed back towards the hotel, Yuri in close pursuit. 

****

The day of the championships had finally arrived, and everyone was buzzing to see each skater perform. The stands were filled with supporters from around the globe, the chatter of them all filling the air. Viktor, Yuuri and Yuri were all watching from seats close to the rink, a perfect view to watch. Yuri was darting his eyes from one skater to another, perched right on the edge of his seat. It was almost time to start, so most of the skaters were waiting by the rink now, ready to perform. Yuri pushed himself up, turning to face the couple he was with.

"I gotta go to the toilet, I'll be back soon!" Yuri chirped, his tucked hair falling out from behind his ear as he ran off, weaving in between the people swarming the space. He didn't really need the toilet, he just wanted to find Otabek. It'd been days since they last talked, or even were near each other. After what Viktor had said, Yuri had been desperate to talk to Otabek. Hell, he knew he shouldn't really, but he wanted to be friends again. Yeah, friends. 

He ran around the halls like a headless chicken, searching and scanning for Otabek everywhere he went. Eventually he found him, perched by the side of the window, staring down at the phone in his hands. Yuri was out of breath from running around, and stopped to catch his breath. Otabek must've heard Yurio's laboured breathing from down the empty hall and glanced up from his phone, the expression on his face turning sour in a snap. He stood up straight, locking his phone as he walked over towards Yuri. The blonde stood up straight, his heart pounding in his chest as Otabek walked closer.

"Otabek-"

"I have to go."

Otabek walked straight past Yuri, his tone bland and harsh. Yuri took a deep breath as he watched Otabek walk away. Viktor wasn't lying when he said he looked a mess. The teen shook his head, discarding of his attempts to fix things for now and headed back to be seated with Viktor and Yuuri.

Once he'd made his way back and sat himself down, the first skater had already entered the rink. Yuri tried his hardest to watch, he tried to concentrate but his eyes kept flickering down to where Otabek was sat. Viktor tapped the teen on the shoulder, snatching his attention away. 

"Yuri, why don't you go down and congratulate him after his short, yeah?" Viktor suggested, gesturing over to the skater down by the edge of the rink. The blonde nodded, sitting himself back in his seat more comfortably and trying to forget about Otabek for now.

It seemed like hours passed before Otabek finally got on the ice. By now, Yuri was on the edge of his seat, nervously watching Otabek with every turn or jump he did. He wanted him to do well; he wanted him to win, for God's sake. It was nearing the end of his short programme and so far it had gone perfect. He just had to clear this last part- He'd done it! The crowd were on their feet, Yuri included, applause echoing throughout the rink. Soon enough it'd died down, and time for the last few skaters to perform.

****

Viktor, Yuuri and Yuri headed out of the ice rink, following the sea of others leaving too. Some of the skaters were lingering around the building outside. They'd all done so well, barely anyone had messed up at all, just showing how much everyone had improved. 

Chris had placed third, Phichit second, and Otabek had come in first, beating Phichit by the tiniest amount. Everyone was outside congratulating him on his win, and he seemed pretty crowded right now so Yuri headed back inside to grab a drink from one of the small vending machines scattered around. Viktor and Yuuri stayed outside, chatting to some of the skaters there.

It was now silent inside, and Yuri waited as his drink dropped to the bottom of the machine. He reached in and grabbed it, turning around after he'd stood back up and opening his drink. He took a sip before screwing the lid back up tightly. He looked around the empty corridor, only to see Otabek, Yuuri and Viktor stood near the entrance. He watched and waited from a distance, his head tilted to the side and brows furrowed in concentration. Viktor and Yuuri seemed to be discussing something with Beka, he couldn't hear anything that was being said but from the looks of it they were explaining something. Yuuri turned his head to glance at Yuri, sending him a small half smile before looking back at Otabek. 

Otabek nodded at whatever the two had told him, shaking hands with them both before all three turned to face Yuri. The teen stood there in shock, not knowing what to do. Should he stay there, or start walking? Should he run? Viktor and Katsuki were smiling at him, the Russian man had his arm draped around Yuuri's shoulders with Katsudon leaning against him. He moved his gaze from the couple to Otabek, who was grinning. _Grinning_. Not smirking like he usually did, but a genuine, soft hearted grin. His hands were folded behind his back, and Yuri felt his heart flutter at the site of Otabek before him. 

He didn't know what Viktor and Yuuri had told Beka, he hoped it was all good. Eventually, Otabek started to walk towards Yura, dropping his hands to his sides as he walked. Yuri started to walk too, his pace slowly turning into a jog, before both ends were running too each other. They eventually met in the middle, engulfing each other in a tight embrace, spinning around from the harsh impact they had on one another. Otabek had practically lifted Yuri from the ground, the blonde burying his face in the crook of Otabek's neck as they continued to embrace. 

Yura started to sob, but for the first time in a while it was because he was so overwhelmed with happiness. Otabek broke from the hug to wipe Yuri's ears away, a soft grin still present on his face. A quiet ' _I'm a god damn match maker_ ' was heard from Viktor in the distance, causing Yurio to glare over Otabek's shoulder at the Russian man. The silver haired man laughed and grinned at the two, before heading outside with Yuuri. Yuri turned his gaze back to Otabek, the two sharing a quick laugh before embracing each other again. 

"I'm so sorry, Yura. I'm so sorry." Otabek mumbled into Yurio's shoulder as they hugged, quite comfortable with each others presence. 

"It's okay, Beka. I forgive you." Yurio responded, pulling back from the hug to lean up and press his lips against Otabek's. The kiss was soft and tender, it felt loving and comforting this time around. It was short lived, the two eventually parting from each other to walk out the front of the building and head back to the hotel, hand in hand. Yuri had never been more satisfied. 

They had little time to spend with each other over the last two days before heading back to their own countries for a while, but they would make sure that every second was worth it.


	5. 18 (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just read and see :) (Warning; hella smut)

(Friendship)

Otabek and Yuri had been friends since they first met a few years back at a training camp. They hadn't been overly interested in each other back then, in fact they were keen to avoid one another's presence. But as the years went on, they grew closer together and soon spent every minute they could together. A lot of the time it was over skype calls and texts, due to the fact that they were in separate countries. They enjoyed each others company even if it wasn't for long.

"You look sleepy." Otabek's voice came from Yuri's laptop, snapping the teen's attention away from his phone. He grinned softly, stretching his arms out with a slight groan as he nodded his head. Otabek chuckled and moved himself to a more comfortable position, knocking his laptop out of position in the process. 

"Yeah I am. I had a busy day." Yuri replied quietly, being the last one awake in his house. His messy unkept hair was falling over his eyes, but he didn't mind. He saw Otabek smile through the screen, his pixelated face still just as gorgeous as real life. 

"Sleep, Yura. It's late and you need your rest." Otabek spoke, pushing his hair back from his eyes as he left out a sleepy sigh. Yuri grinned, thankful the computer screen wouldn't pick up his blushing. The blonde nodded, his hair shifting as he moved his head to the side. "Goodnight, Yuri."

"Goodnight, Beka." 

And with those simple words, the Skype call ended.

****

(Meeting Again)

For once, Yuri and Otabek were able to meet outside of competition time. Otabek had decided to come down and visit Yuri in Russia for a week, giving the two friends some well needed time together. Both were desperately eager to see one another again, and the time seemed to pass slower and slower every second. 

Yuri was pacing up and down the airport, hands perched on his hips as he tapped his foot impatiently. Time seemed to slow for some sick reason, like the universe didn't want them to meet like this. It said the flight had landed, how long did it take for Otabek to get his shit and come find Yurio. It had been ten minutes now, and the nerves just kept building in Yuri's stomach. A wave of people suddenly came from Arrivals and Departures, but Otabek was still nowhere to be seen. perhaps he hadn't even gotten on the flight, standing Yuri up completely.

He hadn't replied to his texts either. The crowd of overly exhausted humans had soon dispersed, leaving yuri still stood in the middle of the room. He let out a frustrated sigh and placed his hands on the back of his head, before glancing around the room. Suddenly, Otabek rounded the corner, suitcase in one hand and phone in the other. Yuri felt his heart skip a beat as he saw his best friend come into view, his lips curling up into a large grin. 

"Otabek!" Yura shouted, waving his hand in the air to catch the attention of his friend. Otabek looked up and grinned, shoving his phone in his pocket. Yuri placed his hands over his mouth and nose as he waited for Otabek to get to a better place so he could run to him, and he felt as if he could burst with excitement at any given moment. The teen was practically jumping up and down on the spot. 

The Russian couldn't wait any longer and took off in a sprint towards Otabek, finally glad to see him again. The dark haired boy let go of his suitcase just in time to catch Yuri as he leapt into his arms, spinning the blonde around as they embraced for the first time in _months._

Otabek placed Yuri back on his feet, grinning down at his shorter friend. Yuri grinned back up at him, giving him another swift hug. Honestly, he hadn't felt this happy in quite a while. Otabek grabbed his suitcase from behind him and followed yuri as they headed out the airport and back to Yuri's home.

****

(First Night)

"Your room is a lot bigger than I thought, Yura." Otabek stated, placing his fairly sized suitcase in the corner. Yuri shrugged, flicking his head to the side to remove the hair from his vision. The blonde sat himself on his bed, collapsing back onto it with a low groan. Otabek chuckled at the actions of Yuri, lying on his front next to Yuri. 

"It's big I guess." Yuri agreed, turning onto his side to be greeted with the beautiful eyes of his friend. Yuri grinned softly, feeling extremely grateful to be able to able to spend time with Otabek like this, out of skating season. "Anyway's, we gotta sort out where you are sleeping."

"I'll sleep on the floor, Yura, it's fine." Otabek pointed towards the grey carpet of Yuri's room. The teen raised a brow before letting out a short laugh, shaking his head. 

"No, Otabek I can't let you do that. Share my bed with me, considering it is queen sized anyways. There is plenty of room for both of us!" Yura patted his bed sheets, causing Otabek to grin and laugh at how excited Yuri seemed for this. Yuri looked at the time on his phone; it was getting pretty late. For some reason he'd expected it to be noon, but Otabek's flight hadn't gotten in till about 3 P.M,and, and it took another 3 hours to get to his house from the airport. Then after eating their food and sorting out plans for the week, it was already 9 P.M. Time flies when you're having fun.

The two got ready for bed as they usually would, but this time they wouldn't be saying goodnight through a computer screen. Yuri climbed into his bed first, snuggling down beneath the blankets with Otabek following his actions soon after. They spent a while on their phones, just chatting and enjoying each others company. It felt natural, like they never talked through the laptop screen or over text. Eventually Yuri began to struggle to stay awake, so he placed his phone on the bedside table, Otabek doing the same. They said good night to each other, and soon were both fast asleep.

****

(Confession)

A few months had passed since Yuri last saw Otabek. They had the most marvellous time together in Russia, doing everything they had planned and even more. But the time came to where Otabek had to say good bye. It was a difficult goodbye, Otabek managing to leave with out any tears. The same couldn't be said for Yuri; the poor teen was a mess, sobbing into Otabek's shoulder as they shared a heart-breaking goodbye hug.

They were having their usual routine skype call that night, but something seemed wrong with Otabek. He wasn't talking as much, and seemed a lot more interested in his phone than he did with Yuri. Yuri wondered if he had done something to upset Otabek, but nothing sprung to mind. He wouldn't know until he asked, and surely it wouldn't hurt to- right?

"Beka, is something bothering you?" Yuri gently asked, trying not to sound over-bearing with his question. Otabek continued to stare at his phone, scrolling through what seemed to be his Instagram feed. Yuri frowned. "Otabek."

"Hm?" The reply was blunt and had no emotion to it, his eyes still fixated on the phone screen. Yura groaned, slamming his hands down on his desk in frustration. Otabek glanced up from his phone at that point in time, stopping his scrolling to see what the Russian was so pissed about. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Something's bothering you, isn't it?" Yuri spoke, brushing his hair back behind his ear with his fingers. It had grown quite a bit since Otabek and Yuri had last seen each other, and Otabek found it extremely attractive when Yuri did that. Otabek stayed silent, before returning his gaze to his phone and ignoring Yuri's question. "For fuck's sake Otabek!"

"I'm fine, Yuri." Otabek groaned, discarding of his phone to the side, becoming irritated at Yuri's sudden anger outburst. He furrowed his brows at Yuri through the computer screen, his arms crossed over his chest. "Maybe if you'd just stop fucking pestering me about it I'd be better."

"Jesus Christ, Beka. I fucking care about you and I just want to know what is bothering you because you sure as hell are acting like a giant prick right now!" Yuri yelled, throwing his hands up in the air as he leant back in his desk chair, his hair falling from behind his ear and gently resting in front of his vision.

"Okay, you want to know what's fucking bothering me? It's you!" Beka spat, instantly regretting his words as he saw the utter shock spread on Yurio's face. No, he didn't mean it in a bad way, not at all. The blonde lowered his head as the words sank into him, resting his head in his hands as he began to sob quietly. Otabek's heart crumbled as he watched Yuri cry over Skype, not being able to be there to comfort him was a pain he never wished to feel. "Yura, no. Please don't cry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean it like, huh?" Yurio mumbled through his tears, wiping them away with the back of his hand as he looked up, his face red and blotchy already. Otabek took a deep breath; was now really the right time to confess- would Yuri even feel the same way?

"Shit, Yuri. I don't know- I guess over the past few months I've grown really attached to you and I always find myself thinking about you and smiling like the damn idiot I am. I really really like you, Yura. It's just everything about you that just makes me feel complete." Otabek rushed out, running his hand through his dark hair in frustration, refusing to look up at the computer screen to avoid seeing Yurio's reaction. 

"Beka? I feel the same way."

****

(Mental Break Down)

The competition was just a few short days away and everyone was practising non-stop for it. Otabek and Yuri barely got to see each other in this time period, and it was hard because once again they hadn't seen each other for months. They'd been dating for 2 months now and everything was going really well, and no one knew of it yet. 

Yuri was leant against the bare wall in on of the empty corridors of the rink, desperately trying to bandage up his foot as best as he could. He'd injured it during a bad landing at early morning practise, but carried on despite the throbbing pain. The blonde refused to tell anyone; he didn't want to seem weak, after all it was just a simple foot injury. The pain was almost unbearable for him, it hurt to put any amount of pressure of it. It felt as if it was broken- to hell if it was, because that meant staying off the ice for it to heal, and then training up again. Yurio had no time for that nonsense, he was a rising rank in the ice skating sport.

He slipped his shoe back on, his face twisting in agony as he did so, before pushing himself off the wall and attempting to walk down the hall to the ice rink. The blonde could barely manage a few steps before his foot gave well and he tumbled to the floor beneath him, landing on his knees with a soft thud. He smacked the floor with his fist out of pure anger and frustration, squeezing his eyes shut to hold back the tears forming in his eyes. 

"Yuri!" Otabek's voice rang through the bare walls, and soon enough the rapid footsteps were approaching him. Otabek was by his side in just seconds after seeing his boyfriend collapsed on the floor, his hand repeatedly smacking against the hard floor. "Yura, baby?"

"Get away from me! I'm fine, I can do this myself!" Yura yelled, his voice cracking and exposing the fact he was sobbing, tears cascading down his cheeks. He tried to push himself up, only to fall again. Otabek rested his hands on Yuri's shoulders, only to be shrugged off a few seconds after contact. He tried again, furrowing his brows in worry as he heard Yuri sobbing, only for Yuri to turn around and snap at him. "I said get away from me! Are you deaf or something, you absolute twat?!"

Yuri lifted his hand and swung at Otabek, but Beka was quick enough to react and grab his partner's wrist before any damage could be obtained. Otabek glared at the sobbing blonde in front of him, fingers still curled tightly around his wrist. They sat in a somewhat silence for a while, before Yuri's sobs turned into wails of frustration and pain, finally snapping and breaking down. He practically collapsed into Otabek's chest, but the dark haired boy didn't mind at all. He was there to help Yuri through anything, and he would support him any time he needed. Beka rubbed soothing circles into his partners back, hushing him as best as he could. 

This was the first mental break down Yuri had experienced in front of anyone before; and it sure as hell wouldn't be his last.

****

(First Fight)

Due to the fact Otabek's and Yuri's relationship was long distance, fights weren't a usual thing. Sure, they had their petty arguments every now and then which would blow over in a couple of minutes, but no full blown shouting and screaming at each other. It was bound to happen sooner or later, whether or not they wanted it to happen. Being constantly apart from each other meant having some serious trust in one another, but there will always be that little thought knawing at the back of your head, slowly eating its way to the front and before you know it, the pit of jealousy in your stomach has sprouted into a fully grown tree.

Otabek hated the feeling and wanted it to go away; go away for ever and leave him to his own devices. It made him feel like utter shit whenever it would arise, leaving him lost and confused. He didn't know what brought it up like it did, nor what would calm it down. Shutting himself away from the world when this happened seemed like the only logical thing to do. Even if that meant ignoring Yurio completely. He just lead in his bed, curtains closed over, room dark. His phone would buzz at the side of the table like no tomorrow.

 **Yura, 4:15 P.M:** Otabek, why aren't you answering me? Or anyone?

 **Yura, 4:16 P.M:** Beka?

 **Yura, 4:20 P.M:** You can't ignore life forever.

 **Yura, 4:25 P.M:** Maybe if you fucking talked to someone you wouldn't feel like this. 

 **Yura, 4:30 P.M:** Grow up.

The last text made something snap in Otabek, and he was swift to unlock his phone and press on Yuri's contact, his thumb hovering over the call button for a few seconds before pressing it. One ring, two rings, three rings, four...

_"Why are you calling me?"_

"You think I want to be feeling like this, Yuri? You think I want to be feeling like utter shit over something I can't fucking control?! How about you try going through this for once, and it doesn't make me feel any better with you being as shitty as you are right now!" Otabek was livid- he'd never been so angry with someone before- this wasn't something he would usually get so shouty over.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

_"Grow up, Otabek. You're fucking 19 years old, you have no time to be moping about over some stupid emotion. It's honestly pathetic."_

Yuri didn't even sound the slightest bit sympathetic. Otabek could just picture the shitty smirk on his face as he spoke. That simple thought set Bka off even worse than before.

"You must be fucking joking right now, Yuri Plisetsky. You're an actual ass hole." Otabek's voice was eerily calm, and so was he. It was a scary thing to see him so angry that he was calm. The conversation was done at that point, Beka hanging up the phone and hiding his phone away in his bedside drawer. Hopefully this would sort itself out in time.

****

(First kiss)

Yuri was spending some time at Yuuri's and Viktor's house, he didn't really know why he was, but he wanted to. Sure, the two got on his nerves like no tomorrow, but he truly loved them deep down inside. Makkachin was rested next to Yuri, head flopped over his knee as Yuri absent-mindedly stroked the poodle next to him. Him and Otabek hadn't really properly talked since the argument they had over the phone; none of them really had time to. Yuri knew he was wrong, but his massive ego wouldn't let him admit that.

Makkachin stirred in his sleep, whining and kicking his leg out in his sleep, kicking the older Russian man in the thigh. Yuri and Yuuri laughed at Viktor's misfortune as he rubbed his thigh. Yuuri leant over a pressed a kiss to his husband's cheek, brushing the silver hair from his vision. 

"You two are gross." Yuri laughed, shaking his head at the couple next to him. Makkachin lifted his head and yawned, turning his head to look at Viktor. Yuri grinned at the chocolate coloured poodle, patting his head. "Good doggy!"

"Yuri, you seem out of it. Everything okay?" Viktor asked, catching the blonde's attention away from the screen of his phone. Viktor and Yuuri were both staring at him, whilst Makkachin was itching his ear.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Yuri faked a smile, knowing he wasn't really fine. Emotions and Yuri didn't mix well, so he usually just put them to the back of his mind and focused on his current task or goal. 

"Alright, if you say so. Oh, did we tell you?" Viktor grinned, a hint of cheekiness in that smile of his. Even Yuuri was grinning, a brow raised as he waited for Viktor to tell the news to his fellow Russian. Yuri shook his head, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Otabek's coming to stay with us for a while and train!"

Yuri almost stopped breathing; almost. His eyes widened as Viktor and Katsudon stared at him, how could they do something like this to him? Otabek staying in Russia to train with Viktor and Yuuri and he wasn't even told?! Did they know about him and Otabek? Yuri's phone dinged beside him, the phone screen lighting up with a text from Otabek. It was an image attachment, and when he opened it, he saw a picture of Viktor's front door. 

"What?" Yuri breathed, glancing back at the couple. Their cheeky smiles were enough to make Yuri sick. He locked his phone and stood up from the couch, disturbing the sleeping poodle in the process. Makkachin growled softly, before turning around and falling asleep on Viktor. " _What?_ "

The blonde opened the door, Otabek standing just at the start of the pathway to the house, suitcase placed just millimetres behind him. Yuri's knees almost gave way, and he had to hold on to the door frame to stop himself from tumbling. Otabek had his hands shoved in his pockets, a soft smile plastered on his face. Yuri glanced behind him, seeing Viktor with his arm wrapped around Yuuri smiling like the child he is. Yuuri nodded at the blonde, a smile tugging the corner of his lips. 

Yuri let out a laugh of excitement, before turning back around and running towards Otabek, not holding himself back as he leapt into Otabek's arms. After not seeing each other for months, this felt all too much like a dream. He was scared he would wake up from it any minute, alone in his room. 

"Surprise." Otabek whispered in Yuri's ear, holding the blonde close to him as they hugged for what seemed like an eternity. Trying to pry Yuri off of Otabek is like trying to take chicken away from a dog. It ain't happening without a fight.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?!" Yuri rushed out, looking up at Otabek and then back at Viktor and Yuuri, who were still stood observing. Otabek rested a hand on Yuri's cheek, ghosting his thumb over Yuri's pale skin as a soft-hearted grin tugged at his lips. 

"I wanted to keep it a surprise, Yura." Beka murmured, causing Yuri's cheeks to flush a deep shade of red. He averted his gaze from Otabek's eyes to the path below him. Otabek placed a finger under Yurio's chin, lifting the boys face to look at him. No words were exchanged between the two,  but they knew what they wanted. The kiss was gentle and kind, not intimidating or rushed. A perfect first kiss.

Yuuri and Viktor watched on from the door way, both grinning like idiots at how fast Yurio had grown. Yuuri let out a content sigh, holding his hand out in front of his husband. 

"Told you. Pay up." 

Viktor groaned, reaching into his pocket and slapping the money down on Yuuri's hand before the two went back inside, leaving Yuri and Otabek to themselves.

****

(Long Distance)

Long distance relationships suck ass. You can't always be there to comfort your partner, wipe away their tears when they are down, you can't be there to hug them and congratulate them when they've done well. You just have to simply send a text, or talk through a damn computer screen. Sometimes, you have no time to talk at all. It is hell.

But it makes the times you can spend together more special than you could ever think of. Being able to kiss and hug the person you love most, even if it is only for a few short hours. It makes you realise how truly lucky you are, and that you'd do anything to spend more time with them. The hugs are more warming, the kisses sweeter. 

That's what Yuri believed, anyways. He thought it was healthy to have time away from your partner sometimes, otherwise you'd get sick of seeing them all the time. Yuri never got bored of seeing Otabek, everything about that boy made Yuri feel some type of way. The late night texts and skype calls, the photos and videos they would share, they were all incredibly special. 

He loved going to sleep at night knowing that he'd wake up to a text in the morning. So did Otabek. The trust shared in their relationship was strong. Even though they had their times they doubted each other's love and trust, they stayed strong and fought through it all. They were very open with each other. With anything and everything. 

At the end of the day, the distance was worth the struggle when they got to see each other again.

****

(Trust)

Otabek had been taking longer and longer to reply over the last few days, his replies seeming blunter as the texts dripped in. Yuri tried not to over think it too much, but the thoughts just came flooding in, and even the strongest of flood gates wouldn't be able to hold them back. He kept his phone firmly gripped in his hand, just staring; staring at the screen, waiting for it to light up with Otabek's name. Nothing.

The hours ticked by. Nothing.

Yuri knew he wasn't training, he'd of said if he was. Was he getting sick of Yuri? Did he not love him anymore? They'd been dating just over a year now, and everything had seemed to go so smoothly until the last week or so. Maybe Otabek had found someone new- someone better- that he could actually spend time with. Maybe he wasn't getting what he wanted from Yurio. Had he just been using him this whole time, like some sort of dog toy?

10 P.M hit, still no sign of Otabek. 

Maybe he was just busy with family, out doing stuff with them and had forgotten to bring his phone? Maybe he'd lost or broken his phone and wasn't able to tell Yurio about it? He wracked his brain trying to think of possible answers to why Otabek had been so bland, trying to push the less pleasant ones to the side for now.

Yurio grew sleepy, finding it harder and harder to stay awake. He could barely keep his eyes open, scrolling through Instagram was surely lulling him to sleep. He scrolled past a picture and double tapped on it, a white heart displaying in the centre of the picture before vanishing. He didn't realise what the picture was as his eyes couldn't focus. Suddenly the phone started vibrating in his hand, and Yuuri's caller I.D popped up, blinding yuri. With a groan, he clicked the green button and put the phone to his ear.

"What is it, Katsuki?" He asked, his voice groggy and hoarse. Why would Yuuri be calling him this late at night, anyways? In fact, he rarely called at all.

 _"I'm guessing you haven't seen what is plastered all over the news, Yuri."_ Katsuki sighed down the phone, the obvious voice of Viktor mumbling something in the background. He couldn't quite make out full sentences, but he did hear the words ' _asshole_ ', ' _dick_ ' and ' _twat_ ' being thrown about quite generously. Viktor was never one to use this language, of course, unless something had seriously spoiled his milk.

"No, I haven't seen anything." Yurio groaned, rubbing his eyes in a lame attempt to try stay awake. Yuuri sighed on the other end, and a muffled bark from Makkachin could be heard too. Viktor groaned in the back ground, obviously highly frustrated. "Why, what's wrong?"

_"I'm sorry, Yuri. It's better you find out on your own."_

The other end went silent, Yuuri had obviously hung up, giving Yuri no time to ask questions. He went back on to his Instagram, only to see his notifications blowing up. Messages from Chris, Phichit, Leo, Yuuri, Viktor. Messages from his own fans. That's when he saw it. The photo he had liked earlier, posted by some news site, a picture of his Otabek with his arm tucked snuggly around a girl, at a small restaurant. The girl had long brown hair, and Otabek looked completely star struck with her. 

Yuri deactivated his Instagram account with out a second thought.

****

(Break up) 

Yuri had been ignoring the world for a week straight, and everyone was getting worried. Viktor and Yuuri had let themselves into his apartment, since he moved out from his Granddad's. Viktor and Yuuri had cooked and cleaned for Yuri, forcing him to get up and shower. Yuri was a mess, and refused to talk to both men. He was going to get sick if he stayed in such a state, and Viktor wasn't standing for it. Yuri had a successful life planned ahead of him, already having broken records at 15. But that seemed to have all been flushed down the drain at this point in time. He still loved ice skating, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the house right now.

Once again Yuri was left alone, blankly staring at the TV. He wasn't able to watch it, his mind had other plans. The door bell snapped Yuri out of his depressive trance, and he decided he may as well go see who it was. Maybe it was Viktor again. 

He didn't expect to see Otabek at his door. Had he travelled all the way to Russia to see him? What a twat. Otabek stood there, hands by his side as he stared at the blonde in front of him. Yuri scowled at him, his hand still rested on the door, hood perched on the top of his head. Otabek had the audacity to grin at Yuri; bad move. Yuri lunged forward, catching Otabek off guard, slapping him straight across the face. Yuri wasn't going to fuck around anymore, and wasn't about to waste his time on some cheating scum bag. 

"Yura, what the-"

"You better shut your god damn mouth, you son of a bitch! You know damn well why I did that!" Yuri bellowed, not caring if the whole damn street heard. Otabek deserved to be outted like this. Otabek lowered his head, admitting defeat to Yurio. Otabek nodded his head shamefully, his cheek stinging. He lifted his head to see Yuri still scowling at him, his expression harsh and unforgiving. Otabek knew he'd fucked up big time, and would do anything to reverse it. He had no excuse

"Yuri, I'm so sorry..." Otabek trailed off, holding his hands up in front of him as he took a fearful step towards Yuri. The blonde stuck his hand out to stop him, not letting him into his apartment. 

"Just leave, Otabek. We're over."

****

(Jealousy)

"Yuri! Long time no see!" Phichit shouted from across the room, waving his arm in the air catch Yurio's attention. Yurio spotted him and looked up, grinning as he went over to greet him.

"Phichit, how have you been!" Yurio replied cheerily, giving a quick hug to the Thai skater. Phichit groaned, rolling his eyes as he made a swatting motion with his hand.

"Don't talk to me about it, Yuri. Been all over the place. I hope you do well in your short today, good luck! Oh, quick selfie!" Yurio barely had any time to process what Phichit had said before he yanked his phone out his jacket pocket and snapped a selfie. With that, Phichit ran off, most likely going to stretch before his short.

This competition had been long awaited, skaters from all over the world at different ranks were competing. He was both excited and nervous; he hadn't done a proper competition like this for a good few months. He'd been practising under Viktor and Yuuri for a short while before this event, so he felt confident that he would place in the high ranks. He looked around the room full of skaters, everyone looked so good in their costumes. 

A deep laugh caught Yurio's attention from across the room; a group of skaters were all huddled around chatting with each other, Otabek and his new girlfriend part of it. Yurio frowned, unaware of his staring until Otabek turned around and caught him. He took a sharp inhale of breath before promptly turning on the spot, rushing out the room.

Jealousy was not something Yurio had experienced before, and it was strange. It felt weird and he felt it throughout his whole entire body. Confusion, anger, sadness. Which one was it? Or was it all three mixed into some sort of shitty concoction all at once?

Seeing Otabek with that bitch he called his girlfriend stirred something deep inside him. She wasn't even pretty, for God's sake! What did Otabek see in her that he didn't see in him?! Yurio was so confused over all this. It'd been over a month already, he'd sworn he was over it already. 

****

(Regret)

Otabek sat with his girlfriend on the couch in his home, watching the movie playing on the scren of the TV. His arm was draped around her shoulders, holding her close to him. she kept giggling every now and then at the funny parts of the movie. She truly was a sweet girl, very pretty too. Intelligent, funny, quick witted. The perfect package. 

It was getting pretty late, and she was practically falling asleep on Otabek's shoulder. He didn't mind, however, he found it rather adorable. It reminded him...

It reminded him of Yuri.

His eyes widened at the realisation of his thoughts, suddenly hope the girl napping on his shoulder couldn't read his mind. As stupid as that sounds, he seriously panicked for a good second. Yuri had been in his thoughts a lot lately; he missed him, truly and honestly. It'd been a month, god damnit. A month and a bit without Yurio, making it the worst month and a bit in his whole entire life. He really liked his girlfriend, really. The connection he had with her just wasn't right for him. He craved Yuri. 

"Otabek?" A sweet, sleepy voice knocked him from his thoughts. He turned his head to see two blue eyes staring him down, strands of dark brown hair flopping in front of them. 

"What's up? You tired?" Otabek smiled softly, brushing her hair away from her eyes. She hummed and shook her head, pushing her self to sit up straight. She turned to look at Otabek, hands placed in her lap. "Everything all okay?"

"Do you miss Yuri?" She asked, taking Otabek my surprise. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, and fuck, he couldn't lie. 

"Yes." He spoke. "He was a great friend." 

"Oh." She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. _Shit_. Yuri used to do just that. He swallowed, diverting his gaze from the girl sat in front of him. He suddenly realised something; she was just like Yurio in many, many ways. He saw Yurio in her, and when he was apart from Yuri he went to her as a replacement so he didn't miss Yuri as much. "Otabek, go back to Yuri." 

"What? No, I can't do that." Otabek frowned, reaching out to grab his girl's hand, but she pulled it away. He could see tears forming in her eyes. She knew all too well that her and Otabek would not last. Yuri was who Otabek needed. Not her.

****

(Emergency)

A week had passed since Otabek and his girlfriend had parted. It felt weird being alone again. He and Yurio had started to talk again, taking it slow. Yuri was hesitant to start, but Otabek understood why. It took a lot of convincing and explaining for Yuri to even remotely reply back. He was happy he replied though, other wise he wouldn't have known what to do with himself. 

Otabek thought about flying over to Russia again to surprise Yuri, maybe that would make up for what he'd done? No, he tried that before, and ended up getting slapped in the face. A memory he would rather repress. The mouse of his laptop hovered over the buy button on the plane ticket, wondering whether or not this would be a smart idea. After all, what would he do if the same thing happened as last time?

Beka's phone buzzed on his desk next to him, Yurio's caller I.D lighting up the screen. He furrowed his brows and answered, putting the phone on speaker so he could continue on his laptop. 

"Hey Yuri, what's up?" he chirped, smiling to himself. There was a silence on the other end. Perhaps he'd mistakingly called him? Otabek sighed and was about to hang up, until h heard a sob from the other end of the phone. "Yuri?"

" _Beka... Ambulance... Hurt..._ " Yuri managed to sob out. Otabek could now hear the faint sirens in the background of the phone call. His heart raced at the thought of Yuri being injured. With out a second thought, he pressed the green buy buttoning, confirming his flight to Russia.

"Stay calm Yuri, I'll be there as fast as I can." Otabek reassured the sobbing voice over the phone.

The flight from his country to Yuri's wasn't long, and 8 hours later he was by Yuri's side in the hospital. He still didn't know what Yuri had done, but he seemed to be in pain when he called. It made the situation even more serious to Beka. The nurse was kind enough to lead him to the cubicle where Yuri was being cared for, and when she pulled back the curtain, Otabek saw Yuri lying on the pale blue hospital bed, a nasty cut on his forehead and another nurse bandaging up his arm. 

"Christ, Yuri, look at you!" Otabek gasped, furrowing his brow as he examined the wounds scattered across Yuri's arms and head. It wasn't majorly serious, and would most likely be discharged soon, which was a great relief to them both. The blonde seemed exhausted, his eyes red and puffy from his obvious crying. "What happened?"

"Don't mess with drunk Russian's." Yura forced out, his voice coarse and rough. Otabek let out a sorrowful sigh, shaking his head as he looked at Yuri. Typical of Yuri to try start something with drunks, that's just who he was. Damn, he'd try start anything with anyone, the silly buggar. That should teach him to go careful next time, and not let his ego get to his head.

****

(Getting back together) 

Despite the fact Yuri was now 20, he still acted like a damn child. Otabek had to extend his stay in Russia to help care for Yuri and get him back on track with his life. You see, Viktor and Yuuri would hav, expect they were in Japan visiting Katsuki's family for a while. Otabek didn't mind... Most of the time, anyways. Yura had grown up a lot over the past few years Otabek had known him. He was a lot less argumentative (at times), kept his thoughts to himself and smiled a lot more. 

He'd grown too, but was still shorter than Otabek. He decided not to take the route of Viktor and kept his hair short, just above his shoulder. Otabek loved it like that; heck, he loved Yurio. 

He loved Yuri.

Otabek Altin, a twenty-two year old figure skater from Kazakhstan, was in love with Yuri Plisetsky. Unbeknown to him, he'd been in love with him for many years, he just never had the time to truly realise it. He never had the time to spend with Yuri for him to realise it. Now, after spending months in Russia with him, it'd finally clicked into place for him. He'd always come back to Yurio, and Yurio had always come back to him. They were practically soul mates; they couldn't be separated.

They'd gone for a late evening walk in a beautiful park, the sun setting behind the tree's slowly but surely. the sky was tinted with red, pink and orange hues, the chilly evening wnd whipping around them.

"Beka, when are you going back to Kazakhstan?" The Russian asked. Otabek chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"If I'm totally honest, Yura, I don't want to go back." Yuri's reaction was words enough; he was shocked by this confession. 

"But your family, what about your family?!" Yuri rushed out, pointing out into the distance. Hell, he had no clue where he was pointing, but he was trying to get his point across. Otabek just watched on as Yuri ranted about how he needed to see his family again, he can't just up and leave everything behind. What Yuri didn't know, is that Otabek had already given up his life back home. He'd told his family, and they understood. He was a man now, he could do what he wanted. 

"Oi, Plisetsky, calm yourself." Otabek teased as he sat himself on the grass of the park, letting out a slight groan as he was able to rest after walking for so long. Yuri, however, did not sit. He only continued to rant on to Otabek about how his decision was stupid and selfish. The shouting was starting to make Otabek go insane, so he managed to reach up and grab Yurio's wrist, yanking him down onto the grass next to him. Yuri let out a little yelp as he fell, followed by a muffled ' _oof_ ' as he landed next to Otabek.

"Why are you staying here, Beka?" Yuri finally asked, calming down from his rantings. He was out of breath from speaking so quick and so fast in such a small amount of time. Otabek shrugged his shoulder, laying down in the grass and staring up at the colourful sky, hands behind his head as he relaxed. 

"I'm staying because of you, Yura." He admitted, a warm grin tugging at his lips as he turned his head to face the Russian. Yura cocked his head to the side, his blonde locks flowing with the gentle breeze of the wind moving around them. The birds chirped softly in the back ground, the rest of the park completely void of human life. 

"For me?" Yurio mumbled, placing a hand over his chest as he spoke. Otabek nodded, a few strands of dark hair falling in front of his eyes. "But why?"

"Well, to put it simply, because I love you. I'm 22 now, Yurio. I know that is technically young, but I want to start thinking about my life more. I want to spend it with you. I know I've fucked up big time in the past, but it's always come back to you. Yuri, I'm stupidly, madly in love with you." Otabek spoke, turning his head to look back up at the sky. A few birds flew over head, graceful as ever.

"You... You love me?" Yurio managed to mumble out, tucking his hair behind his ear as he blushed lightly, lowering his head so Otabek couldn't see. The older man hummed in response, feeling honestly content with life right now, and how everything was folding out. "Beka, you idiot, you could've said so sooner!"

The Russian was quick to scramble on top of Otabek, straddling his waist, hands rested either side of his head. Otabek stared up at the blonde, his green eyes almost mesmerising. Otabek moved his hands from behind his waist to rest on Yuri's small waist, a firm yet gentle grip. Yuri used a hand to bring his hair over one shoulder, grinning down at Otabek like an idiot in love; in fact, he was an idiot in love. 

He leant down, pressing his lips to Otabek's in a long awaited kiss. He moved one hand to rest on Otabek's cheek, absent-mindedly stroking the pad of his thumb across his lover's cheek. He could feel the stubble of Otabek's chin beneath his hand, something he never noticed before. The kiss was something both men had missed greatly, and never wanted to end again. Eventually Yuri broke the kiss, sitting up slightly as he stared down at Otabek, who looked awfully irresistible laying in the grass like he was.

"So, what do you say about being mine again, Yurio?"

"Beka, of course I'll be yours again, you butt head."

****

(First time together intimately)

Otabek was lead on his and Yuri's bed, scrolling through his phone and minding his own business. Yuri should be back anytime soon, as he went out to go spend the day with Viktor and Yuuri since they'd just come back from Japan. The echo of the front door click notified Otabek that his partner was home, and the dropping of shoes confirmed that. 

"I'm in the bedroom, Yura!" Beka shouted, letting Yuri know where he was, just incase he thought he had gone out. Faint foot steps became louder as Yuri approached the bedroom, and soon enough the door was pushed open to reveal a somewhat pissed off Yurio. "Well hello to you too, mister grumps."

"I forgot how much those cunts annoy me, Beka." yurio complained, climbing onto the bed besides Otabek. Yuri rested his head upon Otabek's shoulder, watching him as he scrolled through his Instagram; as usual, it was mostly just Phichit. Yuri groaned and shifted his position slightly, earning a sideways glance from his boyfriend. A cheeky smirk grew on Yurio's lips as he looked at his partner. The Russian leant over, pressing teasing kisses to the base of Otabek's jawline, causing him to let out a low moan in a natural response. Otabek put his phone to the side and pushed Yurio away slightly, raising a brow at him.

"What's gotten into you?" Otabek wondered, brushing Yurio's hair back out of his face. His partner's cheeks were dusted with a light pink shade, and he watched as Yurio shifted around on the bed. 

"Beka, please." Yurio whined, shifting himself again as he stared at Otabek. He kneeled up slightly, making it able for him to wrap his arms around Otabek's neck, dipping his head to rest on his shoulders. Yuri had never ben one to ask for anything straight forward; especially nothing like this. 

Otabek understood exactly what Yurio was asking for, it was obviously from the look on his face. He looked hot like this, and Otabek was finding it hard to resist him. He pushed Yurio down onto the bed, hovering above him and he moved down to kiss at his partner's neck, nipping at the delicate skin that was sure to leave bruises. He slipped his knee between Yuri's thighs, stopping him going anywhere. Yuri let out short, quiet whimpers as Otabek worked his lips over the bare skin of Yurio's collar bone, every once in a while nipping and sucking to leave a little reminder that Yuri is his. 

Otabek sat himself up to swiftly remove his shirt and discard it to the side, doing the same with Yuri's just seconds later. Yurio was desperate for some sort of touch, some sort of release that only Otabek could provide. Yuri ran his hand's over Otabek's soft, tan skin, taking in every detail and mark. He'd never done anything like this before, and he was nervous, but Otabek was there to assure him that everything would be okay. It wasn't long befor both Yuri's and Otabek's pants had been thrown to the side, leaving them in only their boxers. 

The atmosphere in the room had completely changed, the two men completely intoxicated by each other. Yuri pulled Otabek up to kiss him, their lips moving together in a sloppy, lust filled manner. Yuri had his fingers tangled in Otabek's hair, loosely tugging on it as the kiss deepened. Otabek broke from the kiss, both men breathing heavily as Otabek moved his hand to rub Yuri's hardened erection through his boxer shorts. The Russian let out a breathy gasp at the sudden contact, bucking his hips up to grind against his partner's hand. Otabek chuckled lowkey, moving to perch between Yurio's thighs. Yuri groaned at the loss of contact, shooting a glare down at his partner. Otabek gently placed his large hands on Yuri's inner thighs, spreading them apart ever so slightly. 

Otabek hooked his fingers under the waist band of Yuri's boxers, slowly tugging them down his thighs, letting his cock be free of the constricting fabric. Yuri whined softly, sending a shiver down Otabek's spine. Shit, Yuri looked gorgeous like this, face flushed and hair all messy, multiple love bites scattering his pale skin. 

"B-Beka.." Yurio stuttered, lifting his head slightly to look at his partner. Otabek simply smirked in return, lowering his head between his boyfriend's thighs, grasping his throbbing erection with one hand. Yuri let out a throaty moan, arching his back as Otabek used his hand to massage his dick. Yurio covered his mouth with the back of his hand, stifling the string of moans escaping his parted lips.

"Fuck, Yuri, you look so damn hot." Otabek groaned, watching his partner squirm beneath him. Otabek lowered his head, taking Yuri into his mouth. The Russian cursed against his hand, squeezing his eyes shut in pure pleasure. Otabek started to move his head, taking in as much of Yuri as he can, gagging slightly at just how big he was. Yuri was whining like no tomorrow, his knuckles white from gripping the bed sheets so tightly.  

"Beka, _ngh_ , please, I _need_ you!" Yurio mewled, knowing if Otabek carried on like this he would climax far too early. His partner pulled off of him, smacking his lips as he stared up at the wrecked blonde below him. Yuri's breathing was heavy and erratic, his chest rising and falling as he stared back at Otabek. 

"Yura, baby, slow your breathing. I don't want you getting too over excited." Otabek spoke softly and calmly, leaning up to press a reassuring kiss to the blonde's sweat covered forehead. His hair was stuck to his forehead, but damn, he looked fucking gorgeous. Yuri nodded, managing to grin up at Otabek, lifting a hand to stroke his chin. 

Otabek clambered off the bed, reaching into the bedside drawer to reach the small bottle of lube and a single condom. Yuri's eyes widened at the sight of this, and Otabek saw. He climbed back onto the bed, between his partner's thighs. 

"We don't have to-"

"Otabek, please!" Yuri rushed out, his breathing now calmer. Otabek nodded, clicking open the small bottle of lube and spreading a generous amount on his two fingers. Yurio waited patiently, managing to keep his hands to himself, despite how hard it was. 

Otabek placed his two fingers at Yuri's entrance, the Russian tensing up at the sudden pressure. It took a few seconds for him to relax again, and once he did Otabek slowly and gently pushed his fingers in. Yuri let out a small squeak, arching his back off the bed, a strange mixture of pain and pleasure searing through him. Otabek waited until Yuri felt ready, before carrying on. 

"Beka, I want you so badly, hurry..." Yura whined out, his voice rough. He rocked his hips down on to Otabek's fingers, trying to pleasure himself as much as he could. Otabek groaned lowly at the sight of Yuri pleasuring himself, his blonde hair covering his face, his lips parted as his melodic moans left his mouth. 

Otabek simply couldn't wait any longer and pulled his fingers out, ripping opening the condom packet with shaky hands. Yuri watched on in eagerness, biting down on his lower lip as he saw how big Otabek was. He was desperate; he wanted nothing more than to feel Otabek inside of him, pleasuring him and making him feel good. 

Once Otabek was ready he positioned himself once again, waiting for his partner to give him a nod to show he was ready. Yuri nodded almost straight away, reaching for Otabek's hand and squeezing it as his partner thrust into him. Otabek let out a breathy moan, taking in the feel of his boyfriend beneath him. 

"Christ, Yuri, you feel so good." Otabek lowly mumbled, giving his partners hand a reassuring squeeze as his thrusts became more consistent. The room was quiet, only the sound of the two lovers breathy moans and low whines breaking the silence. "Fuck, you look so beautiful."

"Ah, shit, Beka... _I-I'm close_.." Yuri barely had time to get out what he was saying before he'd climaxed, covering himself with sticky semen. The sight of Yuri coming undone below him was enough to send Otabek over the edge, cumming soon after his partner. Otabek slowly pulled out from Yuri, the Russian cursing under his breath at the sudden loss of contact. 

"Yura, shit, what a mess." Otabek laughed, looking at the crumpled bedsheet around the two. Yuri let himself laugh, catching his breath as he lay on the bed. Otabek climbed off the bed, removing the condom from his member and discarding it in the bin, before walking back over to Yurio and laying next to him. He pressed a gentle kiss to his temple, wiping the sweat covered hair from his forehead. 

"I love you, Beka."

"I love you too, Yura."

****

(Petty Arguments)

Yuri and Otabek had plenty of petty arguments. They were quite hilarious to anyone who saw them happen, considering they were usually over something small and unimportant. To Yurio and Otabek, however, they were serious. 

For example, they were walking through the streets of Russia one afternoon, when a cat came up and started smoothing itself up againt Yuri. Of cours, being the cat freak he was, fussed over it like no tomorrow. Otabek however is far more of a dog person. He didn't pet the cat and walked ahead a little and waited for Yurio to catch up. Yuri ended up getting extremely mad that Otabek refused to pet the said cat. They didn't talk for three days.

They always have fights over who's turn it is to wash up or do laundry. The usual household chores no one wanted to do. But, in the end, it got done by one of them and the argument resolved itself. 

Yuuri and Viktor have been two who have seen many of these fights go down. Yuuri was pretty sure Otabek was about to throw himself out the window if Yuri carried on the way he was. The two could easily win gold in a bitching contest. 

It's what made them unique, though. It's what everyone knew them for. They loved each other gratly and that was very obviously to all who saw. Heck, if they didn't fight, people would expect the world to end. It was a monumental moment to witness.

The fights with Otabek were different to Yuri. He would never purposelly harm Otabek, he would always apologise and mak up for it in cuddles and kisses when needed. However, for others who got on Yuri's bad side. 

You ever heard the time of when Viktor got on Yuri's nerves? No? Let me tell you. Viktor had been yapping non-stop to him about how his leg wasn't straight and he landed weirdly. It drove Yuri insane, to the point he trid to shave Viktor's head in his sleep. 

Thank God for Makkachin.

****

(Life)

Life is different for everyone. 

Yuri and Otabek lived happily for many many years, long after their skating careers ended too. They continued to bicker, everyone knew. Besides Yuuri and Viktor, they were the most loved up couple you would have ever seen.

4 years after Beka asked Yuri to be his again, he proposed at the same park, on the same day, at the same time. Of course, Yuri was over the moon about it all, and said yes. The wedding was a magical sight to behold; streamers clinging from tree to tree, the gentle summer sun blazing down on the guests. The ceremony went smoothly, and the wedding was one no one had forgotten. A year after that, they adopted two pets; one cat and one dog. The pets were spitting images of their owners. The dog, named Lola, was quite the dominant one, but also playful and very loving. The cat, Steven, enjoyed his solitude. At the end of the day, they were best friends, and could always be found curled up next to each other in their basket. 

Perhaps falling in love when you're young isn't that bad after all?


	6. What Is Love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek tries to explain love to Yuri, and only is it then Yuri realises what he's been feeling for Otabek is love.

Yuri looked at Otabek with a confused stare, trying to figure out what the older boy was trying to say. Otabek had never been good with words, and when it came down to explaining stuff, he was quite frankly useless. It had probably been around five minutes since Yuri asked Otabek the simple question of 'what is love?', yet Yurio just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of this strange emotion.

"Gosh Yuri, you are thick aren't you," Otabek joked, nudging Yurio's shoulder with his own. Yuri scoffed at Otabek, pushing himself awsy from the edge of the rink and skating off, leaving Otabek to watch him fly around the ice. The raven haired boy pushed himself off too, soon catching up to Yuri and skating along side him. "You realise I'm just joking, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I still don't understand love. It's rather alien like to me," Yuri admitted, tucking his blonde hair behind his ear as Otabek let out a defeated sigh. He could tell Otabek was running out of ideas of how to explain love to Yuri, but he didn't mind.

"How's this, love is like... Love is like being the first to skate on new ice. It's the feeling when you finally land a quadruple toe loop perfectly. Love is the feeling you get when you are free to skate along to the music, completely in your own world," Otabek explained in the only way he could think of, using ice skating as a last resort. Yuri stopped skating, watching as Otabek stopped seconds after, turning to face him. "Understand that?"

"No," Yuri honestly replied, lifting his shoulders in a shrug before skating to the edge of the rink and exiting the ice. Otabek groaned and followed his rink mate.

"Yura you don't understand anything," Otabek whined, finally catching up to his friend. Yuri had already taken his skates off, and was walking away from Otabek. "You could at least wait for me!"

"You're too slow for me," Otabek was swift to catch up and was soon at Yuri's side again, slightly panting at the fact he had to rush. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Otabek,"

"Yeah, you too Yura," Otabek replied, watching Yuri walk away from him. He left out a small sigh to himself before turning around and walking back to the small locker room they had there. He sat alone in the dimly lit room, scrolling through his instagram feed on his phone. Otabek wanted Yuri to realise what love was, as he knew that once he understood he would finally be able to pht that emotion into his skating. That was sure to be a game changer for the already fast rising Russian teen.

Maybe once Yurio came to realise what love was, he would become a nicer person. As much as Otabek was a friend of his, he had to admit Yuri wasn't the friendliest of souls. The Russian teen had anger issues to say the least, and it was obvious he struggled to cope with and show any sort of emotion apart from anger. However, Otabek got to see sides of Yuri that no one else had. He got to see the side of Yuri where he was a grinny ray of sunshine, and his smile truly was a pire sigh to behold. He's witnessed the side of Yuri where he has been so angry that he has broken down completely. No matter what though, Beka would not give up on being his friend. He made a promise and would stick by it until the end of his time.

****

Yuri usually stayed in his room when he arrived home, only leaving to go to the toilet or when his grandpa called him down for food. During his time in his room he would usually browse on his laptop and chat to Otabek, whether that be on skype or through text. Today he just laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as his thoughts tried to process Otabek's words earlier.

_"_ _Love is like being the first to skate on new ice. It's the feeling when you finally land a quadruple toe loop perfectly. Love is the feeling you get when you are free to skate along to the music, completely in your own world,"_

He absent-mindedly furrowed his brows in deep thought, but still nothing would come to mind about this strange feeling. Yes, skating on new ice was a lovely feeling, so was landing a tricky move, but Yuri had done both before multiple times and yet felt nothing. The same goes for dancing along to the music, just being able to flow to the sounds around you.

His phone was buzzing on the bedside table next to him, but he was simply too deep in thought to notice it. It wasn't until the phone rang a second time that Yurio noticed it, and was quick to pick it up. Otabek had been calling him and he hadn't even realised this.

"Otabek, shit, I'm sorry I was in another world I didn't hear my phone going off!" Yuri answered in a hurry, using his hand to push his hair back from his face. He heard Otabek chuckle on the other end of the line, and he felt his stomach twist into a tight knot.

 _"Yura, it's fine, I figured since you didn't pick up straight away,"_ Otabek's voice rang down the phone, and relieved Yurio a slight bit to know that his best friend wasn't mad at him for answering right away. _"Anyways, what you doing right now?"_

"Ah, just laying in my bed, thinking," Yuri sighed, sitting himself up with a slight groan as he grabbed his laptop and pressed the power button on. "Why you asking?"

 _"Can I not ask my favourite person what he's up to?"_ Otabek laughed, sending Yuri's stomach into another fit knots and twists. He had no clue why Otabek made his stomach do flips and turns every time he laughed, or complimented him, or touched him or even looked at him. The blonde just sinply thought thats what friendship was, considering Otabek was his first and only friend.

"I-I'm your favourite p-person?" Yura stuttered out, almost dropping his phone at his friends words. His laptop started up, illuminating his face and causing him to squint slightly at the sudden light. Otabek once again laughed, before letting out a sigh.

 _"Yeah, Yura. You're my favourite person."_ At those words Yuri felt as if his heart was about to give out in him. Thank God this was a phone call, as Yuri was blushing harder than be ever had before. Otabek made him feel happy; he made him feel calm and collected, and always seemed to be able to keep him chill. _"Yuri?"_

"Still here, Beka. I never asked, where are you staying whilst you're here training in St. Petersburg?" He asked, genuinely curious. He'd come to train under Viktor for a few weeks before an upcoming competion, and so far was doing extremely well. I was almost like a trial time for Viktor, since Yuuri didn't really count.

 _"At a close by hotel. Come back with me after practise tomorrow,"_ Otabek's offer was hard to resist, and Yuri had answered before he'd even had time to think it over. The word's just slipped straight out of his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah sure! I'd love to, Beka," He smiled to himself, hoping that Otabek couldn't somehow sense he was smiling like an idiot at the other end of the phone. It was silent for a short while after, and Yuri thought Otabek had got bored of him already. Was he really that boring?

_"Yuri, I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."_

"Oh, okay. Bye, Otabek,"

_"Oh, and Yuri?"_

"Yeah, Otabek?" Yuri felt his heart race at that simple phrase, hoping that maybe Otabek had something to say to him. Something that would make him feel that way again.

_"Your smile is contagious,"_

The phone line went dead, and the teen nearly imploded.

****

"Oi, Altin, get your ass over here!" Yuri yelled down the corridor to his friend, grabbing his attention in an instant.

"Ah, if it isn't my favourite person, Mr. Yuri Plisetsky," Otabek grinned, turning to face the blonde rushing towards him. He seemed agitated for some reason, but it was Yurio, so when was he not agitated?

"You better keep that mouth of yours shut today!" Yuri snapped, getting right up into his friends face, obviously annoyed at something Otabek had recently said. "I'm not dealing with your shit anymore!"

"What's gotten into you, Yura?" Otabek asked, raising a brow at his shorter friend. Yuri scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he took a step back from Otabek. He waited for a reply, until eventually Yurio sighed and dropped his arms to his sides. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah everything's just peachy, Beka. Just had a restless night, that's all," Yuri pushed his hair back from his face, shaking his head slightly as he stood next to Otabek. "We gonna go?"

"Huh, you're really serious aren't you? Isn't like you to have a restless night," Otabek shrugged, beginning to walk out the building with Yurio following in close pursuit. Training mixed with a restless night was enough to drive even the calmest of skaters to insanity.

The walk back really wasn't far, Otabek hadn't lied about his hotel not being ages away. Unfortunately, his room was on one the top floors. Something which Yurio hated, considering his somewhat big fear of heights. For most of the walk, they stayed completely silent, but it wasn't awkward. In fact, it was rather comfortable and they both basked in the silence.

Otabek opened up his hotel room door, and Yurio was quick to rush in and jump onto the bed, letting out a groan of relief as the comfort of the bed engulfed him. Otabek smiled to himself as he closed the door behind him, sitting himself down on the bed next to his friend. Yurio didn't move when Otabek sat down, he was too comfy and too exhausted to.

"Otabek, can you explain love to me again?" Yuri mumbled into the bedsheets, still not moving from where he was resting. Otabek rolled his eyes and let out a small sigh, trying to think of some ways to once again explain the ever so complex feeling.

"Love? Well, love is when you get a strong feeling in your heart or stomach, and it makes you feel happy. It feels like your stomach is twisting and turning," Otabek paused, trying once again to try word this so the sleey Russian would understand. "Love is what you feel when you see a kitten playing around. Love is what you feel when you see your favourite person walk into the room. It's complex, Yurio. You can't really explain it unless you've truly felt it,"

"So you've never experienced love?" Yuri mumbled again, this time slightly moving himself so he could look up at Otabek, half his face still smushed into the bed. Otabek grinned down at Yuri, sending a warm feeling through the Russian.

"No, I have. It's a beautiful, yet absolutely terrifying thing at the same time. Let me see how I can word this for you. Love is like when you come first in the Grand Prix Final after practising non-stop for months on end, and finally nail your program and get everyone on their feet. Love is... Love is something amazing, really," Otabek trailed off, pushing himself off the bed. As he got up, Yuri sat up, his head tilted to the side as he looked up at Otabek, his brows furrowed together.

"That's love?" Yurio whispered, looking almsot heart broken at the thought at that  being love. Otabek nodded his head, watching Yuri suddenly become very restless and distressed. Had he said something wrong?

"Yuri, is everything okay?" Otabek sat next to Yuri again, wrapping an arm around his shoudlers and gently tugging him closer. Yuri pushed his comforter away and promptly stood up, shaking his head before squeezing his eyes shut, fists balled at his sides. A few seconds later he relaxed and quickly muttered that he needed to go, before rushing out the room and leaving Otabek in a very confused state.

****

Yuri slammed his door shut a she got into his room, running his hands through his hair as he paced back and forth in his room, finally understanding just what love was. This feeling he thought had just been friendship had really been love all along. He'd fallen madly in love with his best and only friend. He'd never felt like this before and it was stange to him and it made him scared.

"I'm in love with my best friend, oh my god, I'm fucked!" Yuri mumbled to himself as he paced around the room, tugging at his own hair as he tried to figure out what to do about this. Most people told others when they felt something towards them, right, Then that's what Yuri would do! But that seemed so scary, and so damn impossible!

He climbed into his bed, trying to calm his thoughts so he could sleep peacefully for once. Nothing was working, all he could think about was Otabek's stupid face. His stupid, beautiful, breath-takingly gorgeous face. This sudden new emotion was too much for Yuri to handle, and there was only one way he knew how to handle it.

Anger.

He gripped his pillow and lobbed it across the room with a loud grunt, watching it rebound off the wall and knock over his pot of pens on his desk. His breathing was heavy and he felt like he could punch a wall; so he did. The blonde punched the wall above his bed, and he sure as hell regretted it after a few seconds. His knuckles, now bloody and swollen, were throbbing. What a stupid, irrational thing to do, but at least it didn't feel broken at all. It just hurt, a lot.

He managed to calm himself down, doing the breathing exercises his grandpa had taught him to do as a child. They worked, thank god, so he could think more rationally about what he was to do next. Maybe it was just best to confess these feelings to him, maybe then they might go away. Or maybe, just maybe, something magical would happen.

****

"Otabek! Otabek!"

The raven-haired teen shot around, trying to find the source of the shouting. He was walking down the hotel corridor on his way to practise that day, and had planned to meet Yuri out the front of the ice rink, but it looked like Yuri had come to find Otabek this time around. Footsteps soon followed the shouting, and Yuri rounded the corner in a sprint. Otabek dropped his small duffel bag by his side, tilting his head to the side as he watched the blonde run to him.

"Otabek!" Yuri waved at him, eventually stopping infront of Otabek and bending over, trying to catch his breath.

"Did you run all the way here, Yuri?" Otabek asked, slightly bending his knees so he could see Yuri's face. Yurio nodded, before stabding up straight and taking a deep breath. "What happened yesterday, why did you rush out? Did I say something wrong? Whats so important you had to run all the way here to find me?"

"You're the ice!" Yuri blurted out, grabbing Otabek by the shoulders, catching the older of the two off guard. Otabek chuckled at Yuri's sudden out burts, grabbing his wrists and removing his hands from his shoulders. Yuri frowned, taking a step back from Otabek.

"I'm the ice?" Otabek repeated, crossing his arms across his chest and staring down at Yuri. The blonde nodded slowly, guilt washing over him like a tidal wave, slowly drowning him. He lowered his head, rubbing his arm with his hand. "I'm confused,"

"You're the ice. The quadruple toe loop. The kitten. The twisty tummy, the person, the win at the Grand Prix Final, the nailed performance! You're the person!" Yura looked like he was about to burst into a flood of tears, yet Otabek still had no clue what this boy was babbling on about.

"Yuri, what are you trying to- Oh, Yura," Otabek laughed slightly, moving to pull Yuri in for a tight hug. He finally understood what Yuri was trying to tell him. "I understand now, you twat,"

"Is this love?" Yuri asked, sounding more innocent than he ever did before, genuinely wondering if this was what love was, what Otabek had been describing.

"Yeah, this is love," Otabek grinned, backing from the hug to smile down at Yuri. "Now, let's get to practise,"


	7. Selfie (Yuuri x Phichit/Victuuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phichit has a crush on Yuuri Katsuki, who is married to Viktor Nikiforov. A simple selfie is all it takes for Phichit to become obsessed. (Warning: Major Character death, graphic description of murder, blood)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fair warning I know nothing about murder or how it would go down, this is just how i interpreted it. im sorry if this upsets or offends anyone.

Phichit was sat on his bed, scrolling through his instagram feed. It was dark, and the only light in the room was coming from his phone. He stopped scrolling when a picture of Yuuri Katsuki popped up on his feed; it was a selfie of him and Viktor together, he was smiling and Viktor was kissing his cheek.

The photo lit of fire of jealousy in Phichit's stomach, and he locked his phone and threw it to the side. Phichit loved Yuuri, but he was with that damn Russian, Viktor Nikiforov. He would do anything to have Yuuri as his own, to be able to kiss him and hug him.

He could hear his hamsters scratching around in their cages; after all, they were nocturnal creatures. He remembered the time he was sat on his bed with Yuuri next to him as they played with his hamsters. It made him smile, and it made him want Yuuri even more.

There was an upcoming competition in a few days, and many skaters would be flying out to the USA for it. Including Yuuri and Viktor. Phichit would take this opportunity to get Yuuri for himself, no matter what it would take.

****

"Hey, Yuuri!" Phichit called, waving over the Japanese skater from across the room. Yuuri left Viktor's side to go and see his friend. "Long time no see, how is everything?"

"It's all good, Phichit. Training has been well, I think I've improved," Yuuri grinned, glancing back over his shoulder to look at Viktor. Phichit glared at Viktor when Yuuri was turned, wiping the expression off his face as soon as Katsuki faced him again.

"Well we'll have to see won't we?" Phichit winked at Yuuri, before reaching for his phone in his coat pocket. "You know me, we have to take a selfie!"

The two posed together, both smiling and doing the typical peace sign. It was a quick moment, over and done with in a flash. Yuuri waved goodbye to his friend before jogging back over to his husband, who welcomed him back with a kiss. Phichit growled lowly, whipping around and walking in the opposite direction to the loved up couple.

It was obvious to Viktor that the Thai skater was after his husband. He wouldn't let that happen, Yuuri meant the world to him and he wasn't about to lose him to Phichit.

"Yuuri, I think Phichit likes you," Viktor spoke quietlt, bending down slightly to whisper it in his husbands ear. Yuuri laughed at Viktor, shaking his head in protest.

"No way, Viktor. We're just friends. Besides, I have you," Yuuri grinned softly leaning up to swiftly kiss Viktor.

"Still, be careful around him please, something about him doesn't seem right,"

****

"You're still babbling on about him?" Yuuri groaned, pushing his glasses up his nose as he turned to face Viktor. He had his arms crossed over his chest, a serious look plastered on his face. "He's not a dangerous person!"

"He was fucking glaring at me earlier when you turned around and you never even saw! I'm being truthful, Yuuri! Why can't you see that? I wouldn't lie to you!" Viktor yelled. It was a sight to see when Viktor got angry, as it rarely happened. It even still scared Yuuri when it happened, because when Viktor was angry he truly got angry.

"You need to calm down Viktor, you're just getting jealous of him!" Yuuri retaliated back, trying not to raide his voice too much in an attempt to get Viktor to calm down. It wasn't working, and in fact just made him even worse.

"You've got to be fucking joking Yuuri, honestly. You know what? Fine. I'll drop this. But if anything bad happens, I blame you," Viktor snarled, pointing his finger at Yuuri before storming off into their bedroom. Yuuri sighed, feeling defeated. Viktor was ruthless when he was upset, and his words stung even if he didn't mean them.

Yuuri knew it was best to leave his fuming husband alone for now, as much as he wanted to try sort this out. Watching TV was the next best thing he could do. As usual, nothing good was on TV, so he put on a programme in the back and got out his phone, scrolling through Instagram. Phichit had tagged him in the photo from earlier, and it was a rather cute photo. He doubled tapped the photo, watching a white heart appear in the middle briefly, before commenting a few hearts underneath it.

Katsuki heard Viktor yell from the other room, a loud thud following shortly after. Yuuri was pretty sure Viktor had seen the photo and thrown his phone in anger. He was thankful he was away from him right now, as it was probably a lot safer than being in the bedroom with him.

A message popped up from Phichit on his phone, making him smile. He opened it and read it, replying quickly to his friend. Yuuri honestly had no idea why Viktor was so scared of Phichit, the Thai skater was simply to innocent to be a bad person. Viktor was surely making things up; must be jealousy.

Yuuri and Phichit chatted for a while whilst Viktor stayed in the bedroom, trying to calm himself down. Yuuri was still hurt by Viktor's words, they had some sort of truth to them which make Yuuri's heart sink.

Eventually Viktor came out from the bedroom, but he didn't talk to Yuuri or even look at him. Simply went to the kitchen, grabbed a drink and a snack and walked back upstairs to the bedroom, leaving his husband alone once again. Yuuri sighed, rubbing his head as he tried to process what exactly he had done so wrong.

****

It wasn't until Yuuri didn't come to bed that night that Viktor realised he'd messed up. He went downstairs to look for him, only to find him asleep on the couch, a thin blanket covering his body. He frowned, quietly walking over to his sleeping husband.

He softly shook his shoulder, waking him from his sleep. Yuuri rubbed his eyes before looking at Viktor, only to huff and turn away from him, facing the back of the couch. Viktor sighed silently, trying again to get Yuuri to talk to him.

"Yuuri, I'm sorry. Come to bed, please I feel awful," Viktor mumbled quietly, still knelt by the side of the couch as he tried to convince his husband to come to bed.

"Leave me alone Viktor, let me sleep out here. I'm not coming to bed with you after your episode earlier," Yuuri snapped, sleep still thick in his voice. Viktor furrowed his brows, standing up and looking down at Yuuri.

"Whatever, I don't care. Just don't come back to bed in the middle of the night, you miserable git," Viktor spat, turning sharply and jogging back upstairs. This Phichit situation was slowly breaking the two apart from one another. Yuuri had never slept on the couch after even their biggest arguments, so Viktor knew this time it really was serious.

****

Even at practise the next day, the two didn't talk to each other. They walked past one another like nothing existed between them, causing worry between everyone. Everyone except Phichit. He was living for this drama between the two, and he loved it even more knowing he was the cause of it. Yuuri had spent more time practicing with Phichit because of all this, keeping Viktor locked in his jealous rage.

"What's happened between you and Viktor?" Phichit asked, knowing all too well what the answer would be. He cocked his head to the side like a confused kitten as he waited for Yuuri to answer his question.

"He thinks that you're out to get him, or something stupid like that," Yuuri waved his hand like he was swatting a fly, dismissing the question with no further words. Phichit nodded, acting as if he didn't know about this information already.

"No, I consider Viktor a good friend of mine! I would never do that, nor would I do anything to hurt him!" Phichit faked a frown, shaking his head in disbelief. He lied, of course. He would do that, and if it came down to it, he would dispose of Viktor to get to Yuuri in whatever way he needed.

"I know, Phichit, I know. But he doesn't," Yuuri rolled his eyes, before taking off on the ice, leaving Phichit to watch from the side lines. He was perfecting some moves he struggled with most today, but still Phichit could see no fault in them. He thought Yuuri was practically perfect in every way.

He saw Viktor watching from the other end of the rink, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched his husband skate so freely. Phichit pursed his lips together, trying no to lose his cool in front of Yuuri. Katsuki was doing well in his practise, until he fell during a landing. Those who were watching gasped at the sudden collapse, but before Viktor could rush onto the ice to help his husband up, Phichit was already there by his side.

"Yuuri! Are you okay?! That was really nasty," Phichit rushed out, sitting Yuuri up on the ice. The Japanese skater nodded, rubbing his head slightly as he tried to regain himself. Phichit had one of Yuuri's hands in his own, and his other hand was placed on the top of his back, gently rubbing soothing circles. Viktor was practicing fuming at the other end of the rink, so much so you could compare him to a damn steam train.

"Yeah, I'm fine Phichit, I'm good," Yuuri groaned, eventually managing to stand up again. Phichit smiled and released Yuuri's hand, letting Yuuri carry on with his practise as he skated back to the side of the rink, leaning against it as he watched Yuuri twist and turn.

Viktor was now absent from the other end of the rink, so Phichit took this chance to go find him, maybe talk things through with him. It didn't take long to find the Russian, as he was cursing under his breath in a silent hallway. Phichit stood and watched for a moment, amused at how much he was truly affecting Viktor.

"What a shame you couldn't be there for your husband when he fell," Phichit spoke darkly, catching Viktor's attention almost immedy. The Russian man scowled at Phichit, holding himself back from launching himself at him. Phichit laughed lowly, the sound echoing off the bare walls.

"Leave us alone, Phichit. You're sick!" Viktor bellowed, taking a step towards the Thai skater. Phichit tutted at Viktor's actions, waving his finger in the air to stop him. Viktor was ready to attack at this point in time, like a tiger waiting to kill.

"Me, sick? No, I'm not sick Viktor, I'm just in love. My love is what makes me sick? How upsetting. Now, I'm going to have to ask a favour of you," Phichit paused, beginning to walk taunting circles around Viktor. "If you would so kindly and so smartly leave Yuuri alone, that'd be great. If you don't do this, I will have to hurt you,"

"You wouldn't dare,"

"Watch me, Viktor,"

Phichit walked off, leaving Viktor in a daze. He felt good; he felt evil, and he loved it.

****

"I'm telling you Yuuri, he's trying to kill me!"

"Viktor, shut up! You're acting like a god damn child! He is not out to hurt you, stop being such a paranoid freak," Yuuri was practically ripping his hair out at this point in time; Viktor was so hung up on the thought that Phichit was going to kill him that Yuuri was going insane.

"I'm not being paranoid Yuuri, he said this to my face. He said if I didn't leave you then he would hurt me. You may not believe it but I sure as hell do. I don't want to be hurt, Yuuri, but I don't want to leave you. I think we should call the police," Viktor ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head as he watched Yuuri's face turn blank.

"You seriously think the police would listen to _you?_ " Yuuri bluntly spoke, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at his husband. He hadn't meant it to come out as harsh as it did, but what's done is done.

Viktor let out a disappointed sigh, shaking his head at Yuuri before walkong out the front door. He had no clue where he'd go, especially in America, but he just wanted to go somewhere. Somewhere where he could clear his mind.

The ice rink was empty; he was glad it was, as it meant he could let his emotions out through skating. It was also late, so he don't know why he expected anyone else to be here. It didn't feel like he was alone in the ice rink, but he put that down to the fact it was late.

He let out a relieved sigh as his eyes laid on the rink in front of him. Skating had always been a relief mechanism for him. As usual, he went to the small locker rooms they had for holding your stuff, and put on his skates. He stood up after putting them on, smiling slightly at the comforting feeling of the shoes.

"You shouldn't be here,"

The voice startled Viktor, causing him to trip backwards over the bench and land on the ground. He sat himself up and groaned, rubbing the bump on the back of his head as he looked around to locate the owner of the voice. Eventually his eyes locked on a shadow leaning against the end of the lockers, and even without light, Viktor knew who it was.

"Neither should you," He replied, watching the shadow grow taller as it approached him. He could feel he heart leap up into his throat. "Why are you here?"

"For you, of course," Even in the dark Viktor could tell he was smirking that devilish smirk, and it made him even more frightened. "I can tell you're scared, Viktor,"

"I-I'm not!" His voice gave away his lie, he was terrified. Phichit chuckled lowly as he walked closer again, leaning down enough so Viktor could now see his face. He looked terrifying, the genuine look of love-driven insanity plastered of his face.

"Too bad your husband isn't here to save you. Oh, who am I kidding, he's my husband now!" Phichit laughed, sending a shiver down Viktors spine. The Russian tried to get up, only to be kicked back down by Phichit. "What a shame really, someone else is going to have to take the blame for your death,"

"M-my death?!" Viktor yelled, losing all cool as he realised his life was about to come to a dark, twisted end.

"Yes Viktor, your death. It's going to be swift, quick and altogether fun!" Phichit chirped, the genuine happiness and excitement in his voice making Viktor freeze up. Phichit was excited to _murder_ Viktor.

"Phichit, no, please! It doesn't have to be like this!" Viktor begged, holding his hand out towards Phichit as if that alone would stop him.

"Yes, beg for your life!" Phichit laughed manically, his eyes full of insanity and pure intent to murder. Phichit lunged forward, falling on top of the Russian. There was no way Viktor would get out of this alive now, as Phichit had already plunged the large carving knife into the stomach of the man below him. After a few seconds of absolute silence, Phichit pulled the knife out of Viktor's stomach, earning a small yelp of pain as the blood began to seep out and soak his clothes and floor around him. He dropped the knife, the metal clanging and breaking the silence. Viktor would bleed out in no time, and there was no need for Phichit to stay and watch. He needed to go rid of the evidence that proved it was him.

****

"Woah, what's going on?" Yuuri asked, looking at the ambulances and police cars surrounding the ice rink. All the skaters were out the front of the building, huddled around in little groups. It seemed everyone went silent as soon as Yuuri arrived. Had he missed something?

Yuri ran up to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping his arms around his neck, tears spilling down his face. Yuuri wrapped his arms around the younger Russians waist, holding him close as he cried. Yuuri still had no clue what was going on, and why everyone had a sorry look plastered on their faces. The blonde was crying hysterically in Yuuri's shoulder, and the older man tried to hush him as best as possible

"Are you Mr. Katsuki?" A police woman tapped him on the shoulder to grab his attention, and he nodded in response. "By the looks of it, you haven't been told what's happened here,"

"No, not at all," Katsuki replied, Yuri still clinging to him in fits of tears. He sighed, looking around the crowd to try find someone to take Yuri off him for a while. Eventually he spotted Otabek and managed to signal for him to come over, and Otabek did just that, prying Yuri off his friend and comforting him himself. "Why am I being questioned?"

The woman sighed, "Your friend here called us this morning when he came in for early morning training, he discovered a body surrounded by a substantial pool of blood," She paused, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself for the next sentence. "The body belongs to Viktor Nikiforov, your husband. I'm sorry, but by the time he was found it was too late,"

Yuuri felt the world around him stop. He now realised why everyone was looking at him, utter devastation on each and every face. He couldn't believe it. With out even thinking, Yuuri turned and darted towards the Ice rink, despite the multiple people attempting to stop him. He ran and looked around frantically, eventually spotting what he was looking for. A metal stretcher, holding the body of his husband, covered by a now bloody white cloth. That was the moment this all became true.

He sprinted over to the stretcher, collapsing on top of it as he got there, his legs not being able to hold him up anymore. He broke down in a fit of tears, his cries echoing throughout the silence. It took three police officers to eventually pry him away from the body of Viktor. He should have listened to Viktor, he should have called the police. He could never forgive himself for this. He blamed himself and only himself.

He'd gone through the unimaginable.


	8. Fall (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri hates life. At only 16 he is already ready to end it. Otabek happens to be in the right place at the right time. (Warning: Mention of suicide, depression, character death etc)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fair warning this one will deal with darker topics, and I myself have dealt with all of what I'm writing about. Its also an AU so no ice skating rip. It's gonna be based in the UK

It seemed a lot higher from where Yuri was standing, hands shoved deep in his pockets as the crisp night air darted around him. His heart was racing in his chest, feet shuffling ever closer to the edge.

He was only 16, yet he wanted to end everything. Everything seemed so wrong; the world around him seemed to hate him. Nothing ever seemed to go right for him. First his parents walk out on him as a young child, then he can't seem to make any friends, is bullied and teased to the point he ran away from home, and how now been living on the streets for just over a week.

No one had gone looking for him. No one cared enough to do so. It was him and himself.

His shoes scuffed at the concrete below him as he gazed over the edge of the tall parking lot. There was no way he would live if he were to jump from here, which is exactly what he wanted.

"You shouldn't be standing there,"

A deep voice from behind him snapped his out of his trance, causing him to turn on the spot and look at who had so rudely interrupted him.

"You shouldn't be butting in," Yurio replied back, glaring at the person. He turned back to look over the edge, watching the cars rush by below. He took a deep breath and took another step towards the edge.

"Hey, wait!" Yurio stopped and turned his head. "I don't know you, but I can tell you that what you are doing is incredibly stupid,"

"How would you know?" Yuri mumbled, the wind brushing his blonde hair over his face. The stranger shrugged and took a careful step towards Yurio, reaching his hand out. "If you come any further, I'll jump,"

"No you won't. If you really wanted to jump, if you really wanted to die, you would have jumped sooner. You don't really want to die, you're scared," Yuri furrowed his brow's at the strangers words, taking his hands out of his pocket to take his hood down. In a sense, he was correct. "Isn't there anyone who would miss you?"

"N-no, no! No one cares! Not even you!" The teen yelled, tears now threatening to spill. He was so confused all of a sudden; he wanted to jump but at the same time, it seemed that maybe he didn't really want to. "No one would miss me,"

"I sure as hell would. Hell, I've known you for what, five minutes? If you come down with me I promise you that you won't be alone again. I promise," The stranger seemed desperate, taking another cautious step towards the blonde, hand still outstretched to him. It was obvious the man stood before him was shaking; he was scared of what Yuri was to do.

It took a moment, but Yurio took a deep breath before shakily reaching his hand out to the kind stranger. The man smiled, tugging Yuri close to him and away from the edge. He let out a sigh of relief; Yuri started to cry.

"Hey, don't cry, I'm here. You'll be okay now, I promise you that," The stranger reassured the blonde, holding him close in a tight hug as Yuri cried, the other desperately trying to calm him. "My name is Otabek, Otabek Altin. How about you?"

"Y-Yuri Plisetsky," He managed to get his name out even if he was a sobbing mess, helis head throbbing from the stress of the past events. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

"No, of course not. Now come on, it's late and you obviously have no where else to go," Otabek grinned down at Yurio, taking his hand and leading him over to a small car on the other side of the roof top.

****

"You have a nice house," Yuri mumbled, feeling as if he was somehow making the home a dirty place. He needed to shower, he needed to get some new clothes. Perhaps it would make him feel better.

"Thank you," Otabek closed the door behind him, scuffing his shoes on the door mat before kicking them off to the side. Yuri did the same, but kept his arms hugged around himself as his saviour walked in front of him. "How old are you?"

"I'm 16. How about you? You aren't some old perv, right?" The blonde snapped, taking a small step back, hugging himself tighter. Otabek frowned and shook his head.

"No, I'm 19. The bathroom is right in front of the top of the stairs, you can't miss it. Take as long as you need and use whatever you need," He grinned, giving Yuri a slight nod to tell him it was okay. The teen raced upstairs and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him and placing his ear up against the door, listening to see if Otabek was following him up the stairs. It stayed quiet, relieving Yurio of his stress. He looked around the fairly sized bathroom, before managing to turn the shower on.

He waited till the water warmed before stepping under it, his body instantly relaxing at the touch of the warm water. It was the first time in over a week since he showered, and he had never enjoyed one more. He took his time in the shower before getting out, and finishing up in the bathroom.

He wrapped a towel around his waist and looked down at his dirty clothes on the floor. Surely he couldn't put them back; he wouldn't put the back on. He sighed and picked up his clothes, opening the bathroom door slightly, only enough to be able to shout for Otabek.

"Otabek! Do you have any clothes I could borrow, I don't exactly want to put mine back on..." Yuri tucked his wet hair behind his ear, listening close as he heard Otabek jog up the stairs. The older one smiled at him, giving him a gentle nod before taking Yuri's dirty clothes and going to fetch some new ones. It was a matter of minutes before he was back.

"They may be a bit big on you, but it's all I have. When you're done, feel free to go and sleep in my bed. I'll have the couch tonight, you need a good nights sleep," Otabek spoke with a soft tone, heading downstairs after pointing Yuri in the direction of his bed room.

The blonde didn't object to sleeping in the bed because quite honestly, he really needed it. He was thankful Otabek had been there to stop him when he had.

****

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Otabek grinned, flipping the now cooked pancake onto the small plate. Yuri stayed stood in the door frame, rubbing his arm awkwardly as he waited to be invited in. "Come, sit,"

"Thank you for urm... Thank you for last night. It's the first time anyone has cared about me in a long time," Yuri admitted, sitting himself at the small island counter in Otabek's kitchen. Otabek stopped for a slight second as he let out a sigh, before walking around to Yuri and wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.

The blonde was quick to push Otabek away, thinking that the other was trying to hurt him. The older one chewed on his bottom lip as he rubbed the back of his neck, mumbling a quiet apology as he went back to making some breakfast.

"You said you weren't going to hurt me,"

"It was just a hug,"

Yuri cocked his head to the hide, raising a brow. A hug? He'd never been properly hugged before, it seemed like such a scary thing to do, being trapped in anothers arms and not knowing what they could do to you with that brief power.

"A hug?" Yurio asked, running his hand through his blonde hair.

"Hm, a hug," Otabek grinned, finishing up the food he was making before perching himself next to Yurio. "Wonderful things,"

"Scary things," Yurio mumbled as he picked at his pancake, glancing at Otabek who was already tucking into his own food. Yuri was starving, but for some reason could bring himself to eat in front of Otabek.

"Not really," Otabek finished his mouthful of food, glancing at the teen picking at his pancakes. He let out a small sigh as he placed his cutlery down on the side. "ED?"

"No, no. I'm fine," He quickly rushed out, shaking his head as he finally began eating. The food was _amazing._ After not eating properly for a good week, this was possibly the best food he had ever eaten, and he wasn't about to stop either. He was swift to gobble it down, leaving Otabek to watch him amused.

"I'm glad," Otabek let himself smile, finishing up his own food before grabbing Yurio's plate and placing them in the sink. "About last night,"

"I bet you're going to ask exactly why I was stood up there, right?" Yurio's face fell into a frown, his fingers tapping restlessly on teh counter top. Otabek nodded, sitting himself back down besides the teen. "I'll make it short. No one cared. My parents left me, I was bullied and teased all my life and so I fan away from the place I was staying. After a week or so on the streets, knowing no one was looking for me, I decided... I decided that maybe this isn't the place for me,"

"It may seem that way, but everything is temporary Yuri. I swear you will get better, and I want to help you. That's if you'll let me, of course. You can stay here, we can get you new stuff if you need," Otabek's offer was inviting to say the least, and maybe it would be best for Yurio to stay with someone he knows will look out for it. It was a difficult and terrifying choice though, and may take some adjusting to.

Eventually Yurio nodded, a small smile up turning the corner of his lips. It was the first time in a while he had genuinely smiled, and it felt alien, like he didn't deserve to smile.

"You have a gorgeous smile," Otabek mumbled, causing the other to blush profusely and bury his face in his hands.

****

Town was quiet when the went out to shop that afternoon, and Yurio silently thanked whoever is up there for the luck. He hated being in large crowds, it made him feel trapped like everyone was watching him and mocking him. They'd already grabbed a few things for Yurio, mostly just clothes and other necessities. Yuri felt like a burden to Otabek, and he began to wonder if he really should have stayed.

The two walked side by side through the somewhat empty town streets, and Yuri stopped. Whe Otabek noticed this, he checked to see what Yuri was so hypnotised by. A family of three were playing about on the opposite side of the street, laughing and having fun wth each other. It was obvious they loved each other, and it made Yuri jealous. A rage soon flared up in side of him and he scowled at them, before storming off ahead of Otabek.

The older boy followed promptly, trying his best to catch up to the raging teen. Yurio sure moved fast when he was upset, and Otabek wasn't too keen on losing him right now.

Yuri stopped in a small alley way, leaning against a wall as he tried to catch his breath from rushing off so quickly. Once again he was thankful it was quiet, as he didn't eish for anyone to seem him crying. He smacked the wall with his fist out of frustation, letting out a harsh sob as he tried to hold back his tears as best he could. He didn't want to be alone, and he was so easily set off by seeing things like that. No matter how hard he tried to stop them, the tears just kept falling, despite how quick he was to wipe them away.

He crouched down, hiding his face in his knees as he continued to shamelessly sob, his blonde hair falling around his face and shielding him from the surroundings. Yuri just wanted to be loved; to have someone to call home. That's all he had ever desired, it was the one thing he had never truly experienced.

"You know, if i have to keep finding you in places you shouldn't be, I might start to get a tad worried,"

Yuri slowly raised his head to look at Otabek stood over him, his cheeks slightly pinked from running after Yuri. The teen wiped his eyes, pushing himself up from the floor and turning to face his friend. Otabek let out a relieved sigh, thankful Yuri was okay and wasn't harmed in anyway.

"You can't just run off like that, Yuri. You frightened the shit out of me!" Otabek pushed his dark hair back from his eyes, furrowing his brows at the teen as he shook his head. What Otabek didn't expect next was for Yuri to hug him. The teen had wrapped his arms around his waist, and his grip was tight like he was scared to ever let go. Otabek was quick to hug back, keeping Yuri close to him as he once again found himself trying to calm the boy.

Yuri calmed down eventually, and the two carried on with shopping. They got to know each other a little better, learning things like favourite animals or least favourite colour. Otabek learned that Yurio loved to talk, and would not stop talking when he got onto a subject he liked. He didn't mind though, he liked to see Yuri so happy. Even if they had known each other less than a day, Otabek cared about this strange boy he saved. Something about him was drawing him in and he just wanted to know more and more. During one of their talks, Yuri had accidently called Otabek 'Beka', leaving him flustered as Otabek laughed at him. The nickname stuck, and soon Yuri had one too. Yura. Yuri learnt Otabek was from Kazahkstan, and Otabek learnt Yuri was Russian. They both had their stories of how they ended up in a country as miserable and as rainy as the UK.

The two obviously had their differences and own opinions, but they got along like bread and butter. Alone they were good, but together they were even better. Otabek was sure they would become great friends; Yuri was sure he'd found a reason to stay.

****

A few months had passed since Otabek saved Yuri from jumping. Those few months had been eventful to say the least, and had brought the two closer than you could ever imagine. Yuri ended up getting the help he so desperately needed, and Otabek stayed by his side and helped him through as each day went by. The days would vary. Yuri would have his good days and bad days, but Otabek never gave up on him.

During those months, Yuri had his 17th birthday. It was a small celebration between the two friends, but it was the first time Yuri had truly celebrated living for another year. Otabek continued to sleep on his couch whilst Yuri had the bed- that was until Yuri felt bad about Otabek sleeping downstairs, and forced him to sleep in the bed with him. Having Otabek sleeping next to him was strangely comforting, especially when his friend would wrap an arm around his waist and tug him close in his sleep.

Everything had been good for so many months, so why was Yuri stood hunched over the sink, staring at himself in the mirror with tears streaming down his cheeks? It was early morning, approximately three A.M, and everything was rapidly rolling down hill.

His image looked distorted from his tears, but even if it wasn't distorted he knew he looked awful right now. Yuri had Otabek wrapped in a false sense of security, meaning that Yuri could do whatever he wanted right now and Otabek wouldn't find out until it was far too late.

Unfortunately for Yurio, Otabek wasn't stupid. He knew that Yuri would take a lot longer than a few months to get remotely better, and still had anything harmful hidden away from his sight. Yuri hated him for that, but he knew later on he'd be thanking Otabek for being so intelligent about it.

"Yura? You okay?" Otabek's voice was muffled by the door between them, yet he still sounded sleepy as ever. Yuri wiped his eyes, sniffling before coughing slightly.

"Y-Yeah, just feel sick. Must've caught a bug," Yurio lied, hoping that Otabek would be too sleepy to tell that his friend was obviously not okay. The handle of the door jiggled as Otabek tried to open the locked door, the jiggling only getting more desperate as the seconds past. "Go away!"

"Yuri, let me in!" Otabek yelled through the door, once again trying to jiggle the handle. Yuri let out a choked sob, sitting himself on the edge of the bathtub with his hands covering his face. The blonde knew Otabek was more than capable of knocking the door off its hinges if needed; he'd done it before and would do it again. Yurio continued to bawl into his hands, not bothering to muffle his cries any longer.

On the other side of the door, the dark haired man was panicking, trying everything he could to get the door to open. He knew there was nothing in there which could harm Yurio, yet the fear still stood strong. More than anything, he just wanted to be there to comfort him, hold him as he cried. It took a few more attempts before the lock finally gave in and Otabek stumbled into the bathroom, only to find the heart breaking sight of Yuri crying his heart on the edge of the bath tub.

"Oh, Yura," Otabek sighed sorrowfully, sitting next to his friend as he pulled him into his side, letting the blonde cry as much as he needed. "Yura, sweetheart, take a deep breath,"

It took a good while for Otabek to calm Yuri down again, and it was around 4 A.M that they both went back to bed, Yuri snuggled into Otabek's chest whilst Otabek had his arm wrapped around the blonde.

****

When Otabek woke up a few hours later, Yuri was still cuddled into him. He sat himself up and looked down at his sleeping friend, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. Yuri was beautiful when he slept, he looked so at peace with everything.

Otabek carefully brushed Yuri's hair behind his ear, propping himself up on his elbow as he let out a content sigh. Yuri sure as hell had changed his life the night he saved him, and it was all for the better.

Otabek had fallen hard for Yuri, but kept his feelings to himself as it didn't seem to be the best time to confess to him. He just enjoyed being able to bask in his constant company, even when Yuri was being a bit of an ass.

Yuri stirred in his sleep, snuggling even closer to Otabek than before, letting out a sleepy sigh as he rubbed his eye. Otabek watched with a smile on his lips, wondering how someone could be so cute without even knowing.

"Stop staring," Yuri mumbled sleepily, a cheeky grin tugging at his lips. Otabek chuckled at Yuri, ruffling the blondes hair. Yuri sat himself up, rubbing his eyes before stretching out his arms, letting out a small groan.

"You're cute when you sleep," Otabek admitted, poking Yuri in the side as he stretched. Yurio smacked his friends hand away, scowling playfully at him. They both broke into a fit on laughter seconds after, Yuri falling back onto the pillows with a thump. Otabek was still propped up on his elbow, staring contently at Yuri.

"Got a problem, Altin?" Yuri teased, reaching his hand forward to sort out Otabek's messy bed hair, fiddling around for a short while before he was content with it.

"Actually, I do, Plisetsky," Yuri's face dropped, the smile faltering at Otabek's words.

"Have I done something wrong? Are you going to kick me out? Do you hate me?" Yuri frowned, rushing the questions out so he could find out the answer and fix whatever he had done wrong. Otabek shook his head and laughed, causing Yuri to tilt his head in confusion. "Then what is it?"

"The problem is, you've been staying here for free," Otabek smirked at his friend, watching Yuri groan and rub his face with his hands.

"Otabek, you know I can't pay you or anything. I haven't got a job and I haven't been able to get one! I promise though, I'll find a way," Yuri groaned, grabbing the hair tie from around his wrist and shoving his shoulder length hair into a rather messy bun.

"I have a way," Otabek's tone was full of cheek, and Yuri knew he was up to something.

"Beka, I know that look, what are you up to?" Yuri raised a brow at his friend, who was still smirking at him. Otabek didn't say anything, just simply gestured for Yuri to come in closer to him. Yuri did just that, not really knowing what to expect from him. Otabek placed a finger under Yuri's chin, swiftly closing the gap between the two as they kissed, Yuri pulling back almost as soon as it started. Beka let himself laugh evilly as Yuri wiped his lips, swatting his hand at Otabek in disgust.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" Otabek howled, wiping his eyes of tears before getting out of bed and walking from the bedroom to the bathroom. Yura was left to sit on the bed, shocked at Otabek's sudden kiss.

****

A week passed since the kiss, and Otabek and Yuri hadn't talked about it. In all honesty, they didn't want to, so they just forgot about it. Otabek was leaving Yuri alone for the day whilst he went out to get some more food and all, trusting Yuri to not wreck the house.

"I'll be a few hours, so please do not make a mess, and please Yura, don't do anything you'll regret. This is the first time I'm leaving you alone and honestly I'm shitting bricks. If I come back and you are dead, I'll resurrect you and kill you myself. Got it?" Otabek spoke in a somewhat harsh tone as he pulled his coat on, wrapping his scarf around his neck as he looked over at Yuri. The blonde nodded, walking over to Otabek's side.

"Got it, don't buy lots of unnecessary stuff, I know what you're like. Stay safe," Yuri smiled, pushing his hair back from his face before wrapping his arms around Otabek's neck, hugging him tightly. It was unusual for Yuri to hug Otabek like this, it was nice of him to do so but it made Otabek worry. Of course Beka hugged back, wrapping his arms around Yuri's waist, burying his head in the crook of Yura's neck. After a short while the two parted, Otabek keeping his hands on Yuri's waist. The two looked at each other, Otabek's eyes filled with a strange mix of sadness and fear.

"Yuri, can I kiss you again?" Otabek muttered, his cheeks flushing a light shade of pink. Yuri didn't respond, he just leant up and pressed his lips against Otabek's. They kissed for a short while, and it was strange that Otabek was suddenly asking all of this. After they parted from their kiss, Otabek smiled sadly at his younger friend, pressing another swift kiss to Yuri's lips before leaving with out a word.

The house was silent, Yuri watching the door like a baby waiting for its mother to come home. He sighed, going and sitting himself down on the couch, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair as he listened to the silence.

The silence was too weird, he wanted Otabek back. He wanted Otabek here with him, he didn't feel safe by himself. He was scared of himself and what he might do. But he had faith in himself, he knew that he could do it. Not only for Otabek, but for himself.

****

It was starting to get late and Otabek still wasn't back, he never took this long out shopping. Yurio was constantly checking his phone, or glancing out the window, for any kind of sign that Otabek would be returning home soon.

Minutes ticked by, yet nothing.

His phone would ring and he wouldn't pick up. It always went to voice mail. It always left Yuri hoping that Otabek was okay. Out of the blue, his phone rung. It was Otabek. He answered in an instant, raising the phone to his ear.

"Otabek?! Is everything okay?"

Silence on the other end.

"Otabek? Otabek, can you hear me?"

A sniffle echoed down the phone, the sound of the wind accompanying it. Yurio's heart raced.

"Beka, what's wrong?"

" _Can't... Can't do it Yura,"_ Otabek was crying down the other end of the phone line, his voice hoarse and full of fear. Yuri furrowed his brows.

"Can't do what, Beka? Where are you?" Yuri needed to know, he needed to get to Otabek. He didn't care if he had to run through the streets at night to get to him, he would risk it.

" _I tried, Yuri. I tried to stay strong, I tried to stay for you. I never told you why I stopped you that night, or why I was always so protective of you,_ " Beka sobbed, and Yuri waited for him to carry on talking. " _Fuck, Yuri. I love you. I love you so badly. I stopped you that night because I'm just like you. I suffer from depression. Shit- Yuri please just remember I love you no matter what. I'll see you on the other side, sweetheart,_ "

The phone line went dead, and Yuri almost threw up from what he had just heard. He needed to stop Otabek no matter what it took. He would risk his own life for Otabek's, because he didn't deserve to die. The blonde had no clue where Otabek was, but something told him to go to the place they had first met.

****

By the sounds echoing through the streets and the red and blue lights, Yuri had arrived too late. He rushed over to where the police were and looked as best he could at the scene before him.

On the ground less than 20 metres away was a body, covered by a white sheet. Before he let emotion over take him, he politely asked the police what had happened. They explained, and the description matched Otabek perfectly. It was then Yurio allowed himself to break down, the police suddenly becoming shocked at the boy. The took Yurio over to the ambulance which was also at the scene and say him in the back, helping him through the panic attack which he was suffering through.

All this time he had been around Otabek, and never known that he was depressed and suffered from suicidal tendencies. He felt ashamed of himself, ashamed of not realising sooner. He hated himself for not being quick enough, for not being able to save the one that saved him.

He felt as if it was his fault, like he was the one to blame. The rush around him seemed non existent in his world. Now he understood why Otabek had kissed him so desperately earlier, and why the hug was so tight. He understood the look in his eyes, and cursed at himself for not seeing this earlier. Yuri could have stopped this, he could have saved his best friend.

The one reason why Yuri had stayed in such a cruel and unforgiving world had now been snatched away from him, leaving him hopeless. He was back at square one.

It wasn't even a week later until Yuri's name flashed up on the news, reporting that yet another person had jumped from the parking lot. He'd fallen deeper than he ever had efore without Otabek by his side. Everything seemed wrong, he didn't deserve to live. So he joined his friend in a sweet death, an ending no one could have guessed.

An ending no one could have stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man i was gonna make it nice i swear  
> I tried  
> I failed  
> But i hope you enjoyed (?) it. Please know thag I do not mean any sort of disrespect to people how have succeeded at/have attempted suicide. I myself suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts but I can tell you now with confidence that things will get better with time and that the sadness is temporary. Please get help if you feel like this, and please get help for others you know are like this. You all deserve to live and have a happy life. I love you all. ❤️❤️❤️


	9. Summer Love (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri (16) meets Otabek (18) at a summer camp in the US, and over the summer bond and fall in love. When camp ends, they have to go their separate ways.

The weather was perfect for the start of the summer; the crisp morning air and the cheeping of the birds as all the people arrived at the summer camp. This camp was made for anyone ages 10-18, and was truly and amazing thing to attened. It was spoken about all over the world.

Yuri lifted his large duffel bag onto his shoulder, thankful he was able to yank it from the pile before anymore bags were thrown on top of it.

Everyone was hugging each other and laughing, but Yurio had no one he was to reconnect with. Well, that's what he assumed anyways, he thought most of the friends he'd made here had moved on from him.

Soon enough, everyone was being called into line to be sorted into their cabins. Boys on one side of the camp and girls on the other. Yurio was thankful; he couldn't stand girls. His named was called and everyone turned to look at him. The camp counsellor told him the name of his cabin and pointed in the direction on if, sending the blonde off that way. He rolled his eyes as he walked away from the crowd of murmuring boys and girls, thankful to be by himself.

He did like the camp, but he just didn't like being around loads of people. The blonde was one to enjoy his own solitude, and nature was his solitude.

Soon enough, he was at the cabin. He took a deep breath before entering, only to find one other person inside. This was one of the smaller cabins, only housing 4 member. Most canins held twelve, but Yuri was thankful he got placed in this one. The other person turned to face Yuri, and the two made instant eye contact. The other member smiled over at him before approaching Yuri, holding his hand outfor the blonde fo shake.

"Hi, name's Otabek," He introduced himself, and the name seemed to ring a bell with Yuri. The blonde raised a brow as he shook Otabek's hand, wracking his brain to see if he could figure out what was so familiar about him.

"Yuri, nice to meet you," Yuri forced a smile back at Otabek, and Otabek seemed to raise a brow two. The two stood in silence, hand's still interlocked with one another. It was then Yuri realised what was so familiar about this stranger.

Five years ago, at the same camp when Yuri was just 11, he'd met another boy. He was 13, but they got along like cheese and crackers. After camp ended they lost touch, and the other boy never came back to the camp.

That was until, now.

"Otabek?" Yuri mumbled, a true genuine smile growing on his lips.

"Holy shit, Yuri?" Otabek laughed, pulling in his old friend for a hug. They both seemed to remember each other from many years ago, and the years just seemed to slip away. It was just like 5 years ago.

"Where have you been?! I thought you'd died!" Yuri exclaimed, pulling back from the hug to look at Otabek. Otabek shrugged, dropping his hands from Yuri's waist as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"If I'm honest, I got scared. That summer was the best summer of my life, and even though I was 13 I realised something incredible," Otabek muttered, Yuri brushing his hair behind his head as he cocked his head at Otabek. He was confused as to what he could be so scared about.

"What did you realise?" Yuri asked, sitting himself down on one of the beds, claiming it as his own.

"Well, if I'm honest Yuri, I realised I was in love. It's stupid, a 13 year old in love. That wasn't the scary part. The scary part was realising I was in love with my best friend," He trailed off at the end, swiftly turning to finish unpacking his bag.

"So, you didn't come back because you were in love? With your best- Holy shit, I was your best friend," Yuri realised, his eyes widening ad he looked over at Otabek, who was hurriedly unpacking his stuff.

"Still are," Otabek spoke, finishing unpacking his stuff before shoving the bag under the bed. He dusted his hands off and turned to face his friend and the bed opposite him.

"Still are what? You're still in love with me or still my best friend?" The blonde was confused, Otabek could at least be more open with what he wad trying to say.

"Both, really. After seeing you again after all these years? It brought back a lot, and I forgot how gorgeous you are,"

"Shut your gob, Beka,"

****

"So, we have this cabin to ourselves. That's strange, usually every cabin is full," Yuri shrugged, laying back on his bed. The first day had been uneventful, most people just got to know the place and make friends. Otabek and Yurio had just stayed in their cabin.

"I like it," Otabek grinned, throwing his pillow at Yuri across the room. It hit him in the face, and he wasn't happy. "What you gonna do, Yura?"

"I'm not going to do anything, Beka," Yuri sighed, throwing his pillow back at his friend. Otabek frowned; it wasn't usual for Yuri to not fight back.

"Something wrong?" Otabek asked, moving from his bed to sit next to Yuri on his. Yuri turned onto his side to face Otabek, shrugging off the question. Beka wasn't going to take silence for an answer.

"It's just seeing you again, it's brought back so many memories. Then you confessing that you loved-- no, still love-- me, it's just messing with my head. I'm confused," Yuri admitted, sitting himself up next to Otabek and leaning his head on his shoulder. The older boy instinctively wrapped his arms around the blondes waist, pulling him closer. They stayed like that in silence for a few minutes, and it was just like years before. "I don't know what I'm feeling."

"I know what I'm feeling," Otabek mumbled, letting out a sigh as he glanced at Yurio. The blonde looked up at Beka, and their faces were just inches away from each other. It wasn't obvious who broke the small distance, but either way they didn't mind. The kiss was short and sweet, something Otabek had wished for every time he thought of Yuri. "Maybe, we should you know, try-"

"Dating?" Yuri interrupted, speaking without hesitation. Otabek bit down on his bottom lip as he turned his gaze from Yuri to the floor, removing his arm from around his friends shoulders. Yuri frowned, shuffling back on his bed a little.

"Yuri, it wouldn't work out. We only have six weeks with each other at most, then we have to go back to our own countries. It'd be too painful," Otabek stopped, glancing at the blonde who was sat cross legged on his bed, head tilted to the side. "Too painful to say good bye again."

Silence. Yet Otabek knew that Yuri nodded in agreement, even if he didn't see it. With out another word, Beka got up and walked over to his bed, smiling sadly at Yuri before flicking the lamp off next to him and plunging the room into darkness.

Yuri soon got into his bed, letting out a long sigh as he rested his head on the pillow, thinking about what had just occurred between the two. Soon enough both teens were asleep, leaving the events of the day to pass on without thought.

****

A few days had passed since the kiss, the first week drawing to an end. It was Friday, and this day was the day that most campers would head down to the lake side for a early evening swim in the warm waters.

Yuri refused to get into the lake; he found it dirty, who knows what could be in that lake? Otabek was the opposite, and grabbed the opportunity by the hand. Yuri watched from the small wooden pier as Otabek splashed around in the shallows of the water, the two staying away from the rest of the busy campers.

The early evening sun was slowly starting to dip behind the tip of the tall trees, casting a coral hue over the sky and lake. The distant screams and laughter of the other campers could be heard echoing theough the campsite.

Yuri had his feet hanging over the pier, feet swashing around in the water. He watched his friend relax, almost captivated by just how good Otabek's body was. He wasn't going to deny it, Otabek made him feel some sort of strange way.

"You know, the water isn't that bad," Otabek grinned up at his friend, striding through the water before hoisting himself up onto the pier next to him. The low sun illuminated the water droplets on Otabek's tan skin, causing Yuri to take a deep breath as he tried no to obviously stare. "It's quite clean."

"Quite? Still, I'm not going in," Yuri kicked his feet in the water, watching the ripples disperse outwards. "I'd rather watch."

"Watch? The only thing you are watching is me. I'm not dumb, Yuri." Otabek laughed, pushing his dark hair back from his face, a slight blush pinching at his cheeks.

The birds chirped around the, the quiet sounds of the water breaking the silence. Otabek let out a sigh as he look at Yuri beside him, surprised to see that his friend was already looking at him.

"Otabek," The blonde teen took a shaky breath. "I want to kiss you again."

Otabek was quick to place a hand on Yuri's cheek, closing the gap between them in a rushed kiss. It was sloppy and swift, the two almost desperate for each other, but managing some self control. Yuri was pushed back by Otabek, his back hitting the wooden flooring of the pier with a soft thid. Beka was straddling his waist as they continued to kiss, Yuri's hands falling to rest on Otabek's hips.

It was risky to kiss in such an open area, but they didn't care. Otabek could feel Yuri smile against his lips, sending a warm feeling throughout his body. It made him feel special knowing that he could make Yurio smile like this. After a short while the two parted from each other, but Otabek stayed straddling Yuri's waist.

"Beka, I think I'm in love with you," Yuri laughed, trying to catch his breath from the rushed kiss. Otabek grinned widely. "I hate you."

"I hate you too, Yuri," Otabek climbed off of Yuri and helped him sit up, the two both smiling and blushing. "We should get back before dark falls and it gets chilly."

****

The following Monday was hetic to say the least; it was the first time boys and girls had been put into groups together for a team building exercise. Yuri's team consisted of him and Otabek, and then two girls named Peggy and Mila.

Peggy was a younger girl, maybe 13 or so, with curly dark hair which fell just below her shoulders. She was a sweet girl, but also quite shy and weary. Mila was around Otabek's age, with short redish hair and a cheeky aura to her. Yuri didn't like her very much, but then again he didn't like anyone but Otabek.

The team building exercise consisted of the groups having to run off into the forest and find a bunch of things, almost like orienteering so to say. They'd have to climb up trees, cross rivers and streams, climb over tall objects and such, making this a stamina based game.

Soon enough Yuri's team was off, the blonde leading and the other three following in close pursuit. In all honesty, Yuri wanted to leave the girls behind and run off with Otabek; as cliche as it sounds. Peggy struggled to keep up with everyone else, so Beka stopped and carried the young girl on his back. For some reason this made Yura's heart flutter at the sight, seeing Otabek care for you ger children like that.

"You're blushing." A sweet voice came from behind Yuri, startling him.

"No, I-I'm just hot! All that running, yeah!" Yuri tried to convince Mila otherwise, embarrassed to have been caught out like that. The red head didn't buy it, rolling her eyes as a smile tugged at her lips.

"Yuri, you don't need to hide it. Not from me at least," Mila grinned, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Personally? I ship it."

"Ship?" The Russian was confused as to what this term meant, sure that he'd heard it used somewhere before.

"I think you two are cute together!" She chirped, suddenly becoming overly excited. Yura blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, finally continuing on with the course when Otabek and Peggy caught up with the two.

Infact, they were the first team to finish this team building exercise, because they all got along so well. Peggy grew really attached to the boy from Kazakhstan, the four of them ended up eating together at dinner that evening, laughing and sharing stories with one another.

The four ended up going their separate ways afterwards, the boys heading to their cabin and the girls to their own. The walk back was quiet, Otabek and Yuri silent as they strolled back to their cabin at a slow pace.

"Today has been fun, has it not?" Beka let out a content sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets. Yuri let out a hum of agreement, a pink tint visible on his pale cheeks. It was just the two of them again.

"I enjoyed it, actually. Mila and Peggy aren't that bad at all," Yuri fiddled with his fingers, glancing down at Otabek's hand before letting out a small sigh, shaking his head to himself. "Even if Mila is very exciteable."

Otabek let out a low laugh at Yuri's comment, the two still slowly strolling along. No one said anything for a few seconds afterwards, the tweeting of the birds and the gravel under their boots being the only obvious sounds. Yuri took in the nature surrounding him, having his attention stolen from the scenery after the older teen cleared his throat.

When Yuri looked back at Otabek, he was holding his hand out to him, and Yuri swear he almost fainted. A strong blush spread over his cheeks as he gladly accepted Otabek's offer, the two intertwining fingers and swinging their hands as they walked back to their cabin.

When they eventually got to their cabin, they stopped out side the door. Otabek turned to face Yuri, reaching out so he could hold his other hand too. The two stood facing each other, grins plastered on their faces. Without a word, Otabek pulled Yuri in close, leaning down to press a swift kiss to the younger boys lips. The two shared a small laugh before entering their cabin, exhausted from the day.

****

The next few days passed without a problem, multiple activites going on throughout the camp. Yuri and Otabek did a few together, but most of the time went off to do what they enjoyed, only really seeing each other when they were both back in the cabin.

On Tuesday they'd spent the day together on a peaceful hike around the forest surrounding the camp, just the two of them alone. They shared many laughs and kisses throughout their journey, Beka nearly throwing Yuri into the small stream at one point. Even though Yura laughed at Otabek grabbing him around the waist and pretending to throw him in, he didn't exactly enjoy it; after all, Yuri hated the water, he found it dirty.

Wednesday they spent separate. Yuri went with Mila and spent the day doing some arty activites, such a painting flowers and scenery. He rather enjoyed it, finding it somewhat therapeutic. Mila and him were becomjng close friends, and soon found out that Mila was from Russia too, but had been staying in the US for a short time. She was goingback to Russia after the camp, leaving Yuri thankful that he wasn't having to leave behind two good friends.

Friends.

Is that what Yuri would class him and Otabek as? They both were obviously infatuated with each other and no one could deny it, but they weren't dating. Neither were they friends with benefits. They were summer lovers.

Thursday ended up being a rather rainy and miserable day, leaving most people to stay indoors and have a restful day. Yuri slept in till about 11 ish that day, leaving Otabek to chill by himself for the first few hours of the day. They were thankful they were allowed mini fridges in their cabins now, because there was no way he was going to the dining hall in weather as awful as it was.

After Yuri woke up they spent a good while snuggled up together for warmth, a fluffy blanket swallowing the two as they watched the rain drops fall, chatting about their lives and what went on when they werent in contact with each other.

Later on that night a thunderstorm ended up rolling over, leaving Yuri shaking in Otabek's arms. Eventually the blonde fell asleep in Otabek's bed, even if it was too small to hold them both. Otabek didn't mind at all though, he found it rather adorable.

Friday too was uneventful, the rain finally holding up. However, it left the camp in a muddy sludge, so not much could really be done until it dried out a little more. Otabek and Yuri went to the activity hall together to see what was going on that day. Indoor rock climbing and rollerskating; Yuri vouched for rollerskating, so did Beka. Heights were a no go for the both of them. The Russian teen was a natural at speeding around the hall. The same couldn't be said for the teen from Kazakhstan. By the end of the night he was pretty sure his arse was bruised from how much he had fallen over.

Saturday eventually dawned, leaving the campers to so what they pleased. This Saturday night a small dance was being held in the activity hall, and Otabek was trying his best to convince Yuri to go with him.

"Yura, please?" Otabek begged, pouting at the shorter boy in front of him. Yurio crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips.

"Otabek, you may as well give up now. I'm not going. Besides, why are they having a dance this early into the camp? They should have waited until the last night," Yuri looked Otabek straight in the eye as he spoke, staying just as serious even when his lover got closer to him, the gap between them just centimetres in distance. "I would have gone if it was towards the end of the camp."

"Nothing can change your mind, huh? You really are set on this."

"That's correct, Altin. I'm not going."

Otabek groaned in frustration, watching Yuri turn and head towards his bed, the quiet hum of the radio in the back.

As Yuri was walking to his bed, Otabek sneaked up behind him and snaked his arms around his waist, pulling the younger boy back towards his chest. The blonde let out a little 'oompf', feeling an element of surprise when Otabek started kissing at the exposed skin on his neck.

It felt strange; strange but oh so good. The Russian let his head lean to the side a bit more, letting Otabek explore more of skin. Hell, he knew if he didn't say anything Otabek would leave a mark on him, which is not something he wanted the other campers to see.

"Beka, stop," Yuri mumbled, managing to push the Kazakh away from him as he turned to face him. "Fine, I'll go to the stupid dance with you. I'll make sure you regret asking me to go, however."

"Is that so?" Otabek smirked, causing Yuri to scoff and push his shoulder a little. Yuri couldn't his smile though, no matter how hard he tried. "I doubt you will, Yura. You'll be great, and we'll have fun, I promise you."

****

Practically all the campers had attended the dance that evening, especially a lot of the younger campers. Otabek and Yuri walked in, the music thumping with a strong beat, unable to hear much over the music.

Yura had never been a fan of crowded, loud places and this was a nightmare for him. Otabek could tell he was uncomfortable, and subtley pulled him closer, careful not to let anyone else see them being all lovey dovey.

The couple managed to sneak through the younger campers and get to the place where all the drinks and snacks were. They were pretty content with just staying there the whole night to be honest.

Which is honestly just what they did. They stayed seated at the snack table, eating away at the arrangement of junk food. They only got up to dance for a few songs, and now the dance was drawing to an end, meaning that soon enough the slow songs would start playing.

The lights changed colour to a subtle blue and pink shade, the whole atmosphere of the room suddenly changing. Everyone was getting into groups or pairs for the slow dance, and Yuri thought he'd gotten out of it. It was weird, as he thought Otabek would be the one dragging him up to the dance floor, but in fact it was Mila.

The red head grinned as they got up to the dance floor, wrapping her arms around Yuri's neck as he placed his hands on her hips. Otabek had been dragged up by Peggy, and they were doing the cutest little dance together, almost like they were brother and sister.

"People were starting to suspect that something was going on between Beka and you, so you better thank me," Mila mumbled, shooting Yuri a quick wink as they danced to the music together. "Actually, thank Peggy. It was her idea."

"Clever girl," Yuri let himself smile as he watched Otabek and Peggy some more, watching his lover twirl the young girl. Mila let out a content sigh as the two danced, resting her head on Yurio's shoulder. The blonde found it a bit strange that she would do that, but he wasn't going to stop her. "Mila, do you think it'd work?"

"Honestly? Yes. You're closer than you think Yuri. I'm guessing you flunked geography in school?" Mila answered, raising a brow as she lifted her head from Yuri's shoulder. The other Russian tilted his head to the side, causing Mila to let out a girlish giggle. "You'll be able to contact each other too. Yuri, ask him out."

Yuri's eyes widened and a bright smile took over the confused look on his face, and he once again looked over at Otabek. Over the music Yuri managed to gesture across to Otabek to meet him outside, and Beka was quick to respond. He said his goodbyes to Peggy and waved at Mila before walking out side, leaving Yuri and Mila to quietly squeal.

"Good luck, Yuri!" Mila grinned, watching the blonde sprint off outside. Peggy came upto Mila and tugged on her arm, catching the red heads attention. "Peggy?"

"Otabek said he wants to ask Yuri out. Do you think he'll say yes?"

"Oh, I know so."

Yuri ran through the doors of the activity halls, seeing Otabek waiting by the railing for him. The loud clang of the doors caught Beka's attention, turning him around to see what caused the noise. The Russian was swift to run over to Otabek, practically leaping into his arms. Thank God Otabek managed to catch him without falling over.

"Beka, I've decided! I want to try this, us! I want to try being together, I need to try. I'm not losing you again, I can't." Yuri rushed out, trying to catch his breath from sprinting through the crowd. Otabek smiled wide, thankful it was somewhat dark so Yuri couldn't seem him blush.

"Yura, are you sure? It'll be tough as hell." Otabek suddenly frowned, realising how difficult a long distance relationship really was.

"I'm absolutely sure Otabek." Yura said, a stern yet somewhat frightened tone in his voice. The Kazakh teen let out a small sigh before pursing his lips together, nodding.

"Alright, then we'll try," Otabek agreed, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Yuri's lips. Yuri was swift to kiss back, even if was just for a few seconds before they separated. The two headed back to their cabin, crashing from their night of non stop eating.

****

The next few weeks of camp passed by without a single hitch. The weather stayed beautiful and everyone started to grow closer together. The activites continued and new ones arose, old ones slowly dying off. Mila, Peggy, Otabek and Yuri spent a lot of time together over the next few weeks, the four of them becoming the best of friends.

In the fifth week of camp, a whole bunch of drama went down in the girls cabins, Mila and Peggy keeping the two lovers updated on everything. Yuri didn't care much for girl drama, but apparently one girl had been slagging another off, the girls slowly going off into two separate teams before a massive bitching fest happened. Mila told Yuri that she was gutted popcorn wasn't provided, as it would've made the whole night. It got quite physical towards the end too, according to Mila, one girl ending up in the medical centre provided on the camp.

Otabek stayed out of the gossip, not wanting to be dragged in. He listened though, having a little laugh to himself over how petty girls could really be.

During the few weeks Otabek and Yuri had grown incredibly close, being a lot more open with their relationship. Most of the camp knew by now, or so it seemed that way. Everyone was very accepting of them, it was a lot better than being gay in Russia, that was for sure. He felt so comfortable finally being able to be himself and express who he was.

The camp atmosphere changed completely when the sixth week rolled around. Everyone was just a lot more... solemn. No one seemed to grin or laugh like they used to. They spent a lot more time together, just enjoying the last few days together at camp.

"We have three more days, Otabek," Yuri spoke up, breaking the silence in their cabin. "I don't want it to end."

"Yura, come here," Otabek sighed out, holding his arms out for Yuri. The blonde sniffled slightly before rushing into his lovers arms, wrapping his arms around his waist as he began to cry. The thought of having to leave Otabek again made his heart break, he didn't want to go. Having to leave him 5 years ago was bad enough, even as an eleven year old. He lost his best friend. "There's no need for tears, kitten. Look, how about we gonout today, I hear they're doing horse riding today?"

Yuri looked up at Otabek, the older teen wiping his tears away with his thumbs. Yura forced a sad smile and a nod, sniffling a little as he sorted himself out.

****

"I've never ridden a horse before," Yuri spoke, watching one of the riding instructors bring over a horse for him. "It won't hurt me, right?"

"Not unless you hurt her. Her name is Viktoria, she's a lovely mare and won't do anything. I promise." The riding instructor smiled, patting the dapple grey horse on the neck. Yuri stuck his riding helmet on, struggling to do it up as he wasnt able to see the latch.

"Yura, let me help," Otabek chuckled, turning the blonde around and fiddling with the latch, biting down on his bottom lip in concentration. "Your hair keeps getting caught."

_Click._

"Thank you, Beka." Yuri grinned, turning to use the step ladder to get onto his horse. The grey mare stood still dor Yura, giving him a sense of power over the animal. Otabek's horse was a black mare, and her name was Jasmine. She was an absolutely gorgeous horse, and her and Viktoria seemed to be the best of friends.

"Right, once you two are ready feel free to leave!" The riding instructor smiled at the two, signalling for Otabek and Yuri to ride off. They did just that, Otabek leading waiting for Yuri to catch up on Viktoria before going too far ahead.

It was a gorgeously warm and sunny day, one that was to be enjoyed in horse back. Yuri and Otabek were just plodding along in the heat, enjoying the open field around them. Yuri was a natural at horse riding, soon getting the hang of it all. Otabek too was a natural; or maybe that was because he rode for a while back in Kazakhstan?

The blonde looked over at his partner, a warm grin spreading onto his lips. Otabek looked good riding a horse. Yuri wondered what else he'd look good riding. His cheeks burned a bright pink at the thought, suddenly becoming disgusted that he'd even think of sometbing like that.

Yuri shook the thought from his mind and kicked his horse on, speeding up into a fast trot. Beka followed behind, wondering why the Russian had suddenly sped up. The large open field seemed perfect for having a strong gallop, and Yura was having trouble holding Viktoria back any longer.

"Hey, wanna go for a gallop?" Yuri smirked, turning to look at Otabek behind him. The Kazakh teen nodded, smirking back at his partner. Otabek kicked Jasmine on, the black horse taking off in a fast gallop across the field, the long grass brushing up against the horses legs. Viktoria and Yuri were quick to follow, the two managing to catch up. The wind brushed through Yuri's blonde hair, blowing it back as they continued to gallop around the field.

Eventually they came to a halt, the two both laughing from how much fun that really was.Yuri rode Viktoria up next to Otabek and Jasmine, leaning over slightly. Otabek did the same, the two meeting in the middle for a sweet kiss. Honestly it was a surprise they hadn't fallen off yet. They didn't want to stay out for too long, and it was quite a walk back.

"I love you, Yura." Otabek mumbled, sitting back in the saddle a little more.

"I love you too, Beka." Yuri said, a heart warming smile replacing the blank stare on his face as they made their way back to the stables.

The Russian was glad to get off; horse riding really was a painful sport.

****

The day where it was time to leave finally rolled around, the camp filled with teary teens and crying campers. It felt almost too dream like, and Yuri hoped that maybe soon he'd wake up. As much as he didn't want to, Yuri couldn't help but sob. Otabek too was crying, but kept it on a down low as he tried to calm Yuri down. The blonde was sobbing into his chest, his fists gripping tightly onto Otabek's shirt. Beka was trying to calm Yuri, gently rubbing soothing circles into his back. The older teen pressed a kiss into Yuri's blonde hair, trying to hush him as best as he could.

"Yuri, baby, please," Otabek sobbed out, wiping his eyes quickly as he took in a shaky breath. Yuri looked up at Otabek with a sad smile, tears staining his cheeks. "Don't look at me that way."

"I don't want to go," Yuri sighed out, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Wish that we could be alone now."

"We could find some place to hide? You know, make the last time just like the first time?" Otabek suggested, resting his hands on Yuri's waist as they stared at each other, both with red eyes and flushed cheeks.

"Please, don't make this any harder. You know we can't take this any further than what it already is," Yura shook his head, more tears cascading down his cheeks.  "I've had the best time Otabek, but now it's the worst time."

"I know Yura, I don't want to say good bye either. It won't be long though, I promise I'll come visit you."

The two hugged once more, not wanting to let each other go. But eventually they had to, and Yuri trodded over to the car which was taking him back to the airport. He chucked his bag into the back of the car, slamming the boot shut seconds after. The blonde opened the car door and let out a shaky breath, turning to look back at Otabek.

It wasn't a surprise to anybody that the Russian sprinted back into Otabek's embrace, the two were practically inseparable. They shared one last kiss, Otabek's hands resting on Yuri's waist as the blonde snaked his arms around Otabek's neck, holding him close. The kiss was full of passion, a desperation one could only know if they had experienced it.

It was a bittersweet goodbye as Otabek waved Yuri off, watching the car disappear into the distance. He felt himself smile as a tear streamed down his cheek, swiftly wiping it away with his hand.

Otabek was sure he'd see Yuri again soon. He would do anything to see him once again. But he would never forget the summer love they shared.


	10. Co-Stars (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek and Yuri are co-stars in a film, and they can't take one scene properly. Until, that is, Yuri goes home to the unimaginable. (Even though this is an AU, Yuri is 16 and Otabek is 18)

"Cut! That scene was perfect, thanks boys!"

The directors voice boomed through the studio, signalling the scene they were doing went well. At least, thats what he said. Otabek and Yuri finally relaxed, being able to take a small break from filming.

They had been film buddies for at least five years now, some of the best young actors in the business. The two friends walked over to the small table filled with drinks to grab something, as this movie was extremely strenuous and they needed to stay very hydrated.

"I'm go glad that scene is finally over with," Otabek let out a sigh if relief, grabbing a water bottle of the table. Yuri hummed in response. "I'm sure my leg was about to break off."

"It looked like it too!" Yuri joked, nudging his friend with his elbow. Otabek playfully glared at his shorter friend, before taking a sip of water from the bottle. "I can tell you what-"

"What?"

"Let me finish, asshole. I'm not goint to be able to take the next scene seriously."

Otabek raised a brow at Yuri, trying to figure out what scene was next. Then he remembered; it was the scene Yurio's character dies in Otabek's arms. Both of them knew it wasn't going to be easy to film, sinply because they found everything god damn hilarious.

"Ah right. Bets on the director getting pissy at us for it?"

"Too many."

The two placed the water bottles down to the side, the director calling them over to shoot the next scene. Everyone else rushed to get where they needed, before the director sat in his fancy little 'Director' chair, explaining what needs to happen in this scene.

"Quite frankly boys, you need to get this right. It's a very heartfelt scene and should make everyone cry. If it's not done right, then it'll make the whole movie go to shit. No pressure."

Otabek proceeded to kneel down on the floor, Yuri following seconds after by sitting just infront of his, before laying back into Otabek's arms. The two were already pursing their lips together in an attempt not to laugh, and before to the director has even called for the scene to be filmed, the blonde actor was in fits of giggles, Otabek soon cracking and laughing too. The director audibly sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Oi, if you two can't do this properly then I can still replace you!" The director shoutedcm, shutting the two up in an instant. Everyone went back to what they were doing, and this time the scene actually was able to roll.

Everything was going great, both were acting liked their lives depended on it; that was, until, it got to the part Yuri's character died. Once again, he began to laugh, the director calling cut and walking off the set. They were obviously done filming for today.

"Nice going, Plisetsky." Otabek chuckled, helping the blonde get to his feet.

"Shut your gob, Altin." Yuri replied back, smacking his friend on the arm before they both headed over to the dressing rooms. They got out of their costumes and cleared their selves of make-up, packing away their stuff in their bags ready for tomorrow.

"How are you getting home?" The blonde shrugged at Otabek's question, hurling his bag up onto his back.

"Probably train. I'll be fine, Grandpa's house isn't too far from there."

"Just be careful, okay?" Otabek flashed a grin at Yuri, picking up his helmet and holding it under his arm as he waved his fellow actor off.

****

Yuri managed to get home with no trouble, and during shooting he'd been staying with his grandpa. His grandpa was his favourite person. After all, if it wasn't for him, Yurio might have not gotten into acting. He really owed a lot to this man.

The street was dark, about from the lamps which dimly lit the side walk below them. Yuri had his headphones in, listening to a few of his favourite songs as he walked back from the train station to his house. Finally he arrived home, tugging his headphones out of his ears as he entered the house, scuffing his feet on the mat just inside the door to rid his shoes of any filth. The house was dark and eerily quiet; perhaps his grandpa had gone to sleep already.

He flicked the hall light on, discarding his bag and shoes off to the side. Something didn't seem overly right, it was too quiet. Even if his grandpa had gone to bed, he usually woke up when Yuri came back, no matter how late his shooting lasted till. The blonde furrowed his brows, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked through the halls and into the living room.

It was too dark to see anything clearly, so he felt across the wall of the living room until he felt the light switch under his fingers, switching the light on in a second. After his eyes adjusted to the sudden bright light, he saw his grandpa sat in his chair. No, he wouldn't say sat, he'd say... slouching?

The blonde slowly made his way over to the chair, brows furrowed as he looked at his grandpa.

"Grandpa..?" Yurio spoke softly, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder. No response. Panic grew in Yuri when he realised his grandpa was as cold as ice, no sign of life in his body. "Grandpa!"

His hands shot up to his mouth as he realised, collasping down to his knees as he began to sob, tears already cascading down his cheeks. His grandpa must've passed when he was filming; he was very old and quite sick, but Yuri never expected to come home to anything like this. After regaining some sense, he reached into his coat pocket, hands shaking as he pulled out his phone, trying his best to call someone. His vision was blurred by the tears and his hands were shaking terribly, but eventually he managed to call Otabek.

The phone rang for a little bit, Yuri's breathing was erratic and his sobs grew when the phone continued to ring, no sign of Otabek picking up his phone. Eventually the phone was answered, and Yurio felt a wave of relief wash over him, even if it was only for a spilt second.

_"Hey Yuri, why are you- Yuri?"_

It was at that moment the blonde teen broke down again, sobbing down the phone to his friend. Otabek sighed on the other end of the phone, waiting for Yuri to calm down a bit before he asked what was wrong.

_"Yura, what's wrong? Are you okay? Breathe, tell me what's wrong."_

Otabek's voice was soft and soothing, a sound Yuri needed to hear right now. Yuri needed Otabek here, not just on the other end of the phone, comforting him with only words.

"My grandpa, he.. he's dead!" Yuri sobbed out, slouching back against the small arm chair where his grandpa was.

_"Holy shit, Yuri. Right, um, you need to call the ambulance okay? Have you done that?"_

"No, you were the first person I thought to call." Yuri sniffled, wiping the tears from under his eyes as he finaly managed to calm himself a little, his breathing slowing to a somewhat normal pace.

_"You need to call an ambulance okay? I'll hang up and you need to calm them now, I'll see you-"_

"No, wait! Beka, please, I don't want to be alone..." Yuri's weak voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes for a brief second as he finished his sentence, the thought of being alone too scary for him to handle right now.

_"Oh, Yuri, you know I would but-"_

"Otabek please," The teen begged, hoping that Otabek would give in. He heard his friend sigh down the phone. "I know it's really late, but I just can't bear the thought of it."

 _"Don't worry Yuri, I'll come over. You won't be alone, I promise you."_ The tone of Beka's voice made Yuri smile- really, genuinely smile- and he hung up, rapidly dialing the number for emergency services soon after.

****

When Otabek arrived the emergency services were already there, the blue lights illuminating the dull street. His parked his bike up and turned it off, he'd never seena scene quite like it before. Ambulances and police cars lined the streets, paramedics and officers chatting to each other quitely.

The whole thing that made this real was when they wheeled out the medical bed, a white sheet covering the body of Yuri's grandpa. That was the moment Otabek knew he made the right choice in coming over. He got off his bike and removed his helmet, placing it over the handles before making his way i to Yuri's house.

When he entered he looked around for a brief second, before walking down the quaint hallway and entering the living room.

Yuri sat with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, a warm cup of tea resting in his hands. Two police officers were sat talking to him, trying to comfort the distressed teen.

"Yuri." Otabek spoke soft, just loud enough for Yuri to hear him. His friend looked up at him, a sad smile spreading onto his lips as he shrugged the blanket off his shoulder, placing his tea on the side table before rushing over to Otabek.

"Beka!" Yuri mumbled as he wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck, hugging him tightly. Otabek snaked his arms around Yuri's waist, burying his face in the crook of Yuri's neck. A family death was such a terrible thing to have to experience, especially if you had to do it alone. Otabek wasn't going to let Yuri go through that.

"I'm here, it's okay now, you're not alone." Otabek whispered, holding Yuri close to him. He could hear Yuri's faint sniffles as they embraced each other, and it broke his heart.

"Right, we best be off. I'm sorry you had to go through this." One of the police officers tapped Yuri on the shoulder, the blonde pulling back from the hug to look at them, giving them a thankful nod as they disappeared out the door. The blue lights faded away into the darkness outside, leaving Yuri and Otabek to their own.

"Yura, I'm so sorry." Otabek muttered, brushing his messy hair back from his face, letting out a sorry sigh.

"It happen's, I guess. It's life. People die." Yuri shook his head as he spoke, still pretty out of it. He was shaken up to say the least, and needed to rest. But Otabek wasn't about to leave him.

"I don't want you here alone tonight," Otabek rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a shaky sigh as he tried to think of how to say this. "Come back with me. Come to mine."

"Otabek, I can't just up and leave everything, I'll be-"

"I know you won't be fine, Yuri. Please." Otabek persisted, watching Yuri sigh as he finally gave in, brushing past Otabek to grab the things he needed.

****

The ride to Otabek's didn't seem to take very long, but perhaps that was because Yurio wasn't exactly concentrating. His thoughts were off in another world.

The two entered into Otabek's small house, it was a quaint little place and felt very homely indeed. Yuri kicked his shoes off, as did Otabek, before walking into the living room.

"Yuri, have my bed tonight, you'll need the rest. We have a long day shooting tomorrow."

"No way, Beka. You are not sleeping on that small thing. We'll share a bed."

Otabek knew Yuri would continue to protest until he gave in anyways, so there was no point arguing over it now. It was approaching midnight and they both had a very full on day tomorrow.

They made their way upstairs and into Otabek's room, it was quite plain but tidy to say the least. A natural wood floor with white painted walks, a few photos and all splayed around the room. That was about it, about from the obvious furniture.

It wasn't long before they were both in the bed, and it was obvious that Yuri was struggling to even stay awake. Otabek was sat on his phone, looking through his instagram feed. Yuri had his head rested on his friends shoulder, watching as he scrolled through his instagram feed. He wasn't really paying attention considering he was half asleep.

"Yura, you're tired. You need to sleep." Otabek mumbled, locking his phone and placing it on the bedside table. Yurio groaned as he repositioned his self so he was laying down, instead of resting on Otabek.

"So do you." Yuri grumbled, rubbing his eyes. Otabek grinned down at Yuri, before flicking the bed side lamp off and laying down him self.

"Yes, I do. Goodnight, Yuri."

"Night, asshole."

The nickname earned Yuri a kick in the leg, but he laughed it off sleepily, the two soon fast asleep, waiting for the next morning to arrive.

****

"Alright you two, you better get this scene done correctly today!" The directors voice was stern, he was serious about getting this scene done. Everyone rushed into places once again, and the director called for the filming to start.

Everyone watched as the scene played out infront of them, and everyone was silent. They held their breaths as Yuri and Otabek acted out this heart wrenching scene with no problem or hitches whatsoever, not even a single smile or giggle to been seen.

The scene was soon over, yet everyone stayed silent. For one, the director didn't shout cut. He simply nodded at the camera team, rising from his chair as he began to applaud thw two young actors. The rest of the team and actors soon joined it; they had done it, and it was by far the best acting that had ever taken place in that room.

"Wow, that was amazing, boys! I'm very proud of you! You had the whole room captivated in the scene! Absolutely perfection!"

It was quite a relief to hear that from the director himself. Otabek let out a sigh of relief and smiled, helping Yurio sitbup after the scene had finished. Everyone else went back to what they were doing, lunch break finally coming around as people began to disappear to have some food.

Yuri let out a sniffle, and it caught Otabek by surprised. He furrowed his brows as he looked at Yuri, who had tears forming in his eyes, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him.

"Yura hey, c'mon," Otabek whispered, pulling Yuri into a tight hug, the blonde teen soon breaking down into Otabek's chest, crying his poor little heart out. No one else had been talk what happened last night, and those that were still hanging around were beginning to stare at the two. "It's okay, I promise you it's all okay."

The room began to empty as everyone left, giving Yuri and Otabek the privacy they needed. Yuri continued to sob, his knuckles going white from how hard he was gripping at Otabek's shirt. Otabek simply rubbed soothing circles into his friends back, rocking him slightly as he tried his best to calm him down.

"Yuri, breathe. Everything is okay, I'm here?" Otabek hushed the teen in his embrace, letting out a sigh as his attempts to calm him once again failed. It was another few minutes before Yuri seemed to run of of tears, his breathing calming and his sobs subsiding. "There we go, just breathe."

"I'm sorry, I must look like a right idiot," Yuri wiped away the tears from his cheeks, pulling back to look up at Otabek, his cheeks flushed red and his eyes bloodshot from crying. "I got your shirt wet."

Otabek chuckled lowly, brushing Yuri's hair back behind his ear. "That's the least of my worries right now, idiot."

Yuri forced a sad smile, taking in a deep breath as he sorted himself out a bit more. He was a mess, and he felt mortified for breaking down in tears in front of everyone.

"It's just.. Last night..."

"I understand. But Yuri, listen to me for a moment, okay?" Yuri glanced up at his friend sat infront of him, nodding his head slightly. "Death is part of life, and it will happen. There is nothing we can do as humans to stop this. Death doesn't mean that they are gone though. Your grandpa will always be with you; by your side, so to say. He will always be looking over you, helping you get on with life. You're young, Yura. I'm sure your grandpa wouldn't want you to dwell on his passing, he would wsnt you to go live your life to the fullest. You're a brave and very strong person Yuri. You can get through this. I believe in you. I promise that I will be by your side through this all. No matter what."

The teen nodded as Otabek finished his little motivational speech, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked at his friend. Otabek was right; he shouldn't dwell on this, he should live his life to the fullest. After all, he wasn't alone. He had Otabek, and he was all Yuri needed. He was all Yuri wanted. Otabek smiled gently at Yurio, letting out a nervous laugh as he glanced at the floor below him.

"Can I kiss you?" Yuri asked, very bluntly. Otabek looked up at Yuri, his eyes wide as he tried to process what his friend had just asked.

"Yuri, what?" Otabek raised a brow as he let out a laugh, moving so he was sat more comfortably on the floor.

"Can I kiss you?" Yuri asked again, his facial expression staying the exact same, apart from the light blush painting his cheeks. Otabek breathily laughed, biting down on his lower lip as he stared at Yuri.

"You don't have to ask."

The blonde grinned at Otabek's words, leaning forward as he connected his lips with Otabek's. Otabek rested a hand on Yuri's cheek as they kissed, the sweetness of this moment radiating out across the room. It was short lived, but left the two friends blushing profusely and giggling madly. They were just like children.

"I'm sorry, I had to kiss you."

"Don't be sorry, Yura. I've waited years for you to ask."

Yuri laughed, pushing Otabek's shoulder playfully. What a day this had been already. The cheek that boy had, honestly!


	11. Baby Mates (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek and Yuri have been dating just over a year. Yuuri and Viktor ask them to watch over their two year old daughter for a weekend. Hell becomes reality.

Otabek and Yuri were sat lazing on the couch, the day going by at a petty pace. It was Friday thank god, meaning a peaceful weekend for them both. Yuri had it head rested on Otabek's lap, his attention on his phone, whilst Otabek watched the program on TV, absent-mindedly playing with the now longish hair of his boyfriend.

They'd been dating just over a year now, only confessing their feelings after years of friendship. Otabek was 22 at the time, Yuri was 20. They both felt it was right to take things a little further than just being friends.

Yuri's phone buzzed in his hand; a text from Yuuri, how strange. The two had gotten along a lot better over the past few years, their arguments becoming little and Yuri becoming a little politer.

"Who's texting you?" Otabek asked, still running his fingers through Yuri's hair.

"Katsuki," Yuri bluntly replied, swiping the text message to answer it. "He's asked us to look after his two year old for a weekend."

"That wouldn't be too bad now, would it? They need a break together, Yuri. It's been months." Otabek suggested, earning a long drawn out groan from the blonde in his lap.

"This weekend, Beka." Yuri added on, typing a quick reply to Yuuri. Otabek shrugged, and Yuri sent the text.

"It won't be that hard, Yura. I'm sure." Otabek grinned down at Yuri in his lap, who was already pouting up at Otabek.

"I wanted it to be a weekend for us though, Otabek. We've been so busy training that we haven't had much time with each other." Yura whined, sitting himself up and bringing his hair to fall over one shoulder. Otabek pursed his lips together and nodded slightly; Yuri had a point.

Yuri's phone buzzed again, and the blonde looked down at his phone. A groan soon followed and he pushed himself up from the couch, rushing around the house. Otabek sat confused on the couch, wondering what his boyfriend was up to.

"Yuri, what are you doing?" Otabek asked, getting up and grabbing Yuri by the wrist as he rushed by, stopping him in his tracks.

"They're bringing her over soon." The Russian stated, and Otabek simply mouthed an 'oh' before helping Yuri clean up the house, making sure it's somewhat baby proof.

They'd looked after the toddler before, but only for a few hours. They loved the little girl, she was the sweetest thing on earth, but Yuri didn't feel responsible enough to look after her for a whole weekend.

Around an hour later, a loud knock on the door was heard, followed by a pitter patter of weaker ones. Yuri grinned to himself, knowing it'd be the toddler. Otabek answered the door before Yuri could, but stayed by his side as he welcomed in Yuuri and the toddler. Viktor followed behind with a portable crib and a bag full of essentials for the two year old. It seemed as if she was saying for a year at the amount they had brought over.

"Thank you both for this, it means a lot. And at such short notice too!" Yuuri beamed, holding the squirming toddler in his grip. Viktor placed everything down by the front door, eventually moving so his arm was wrapped around his husbands waist.

"Anytime, Yuuri. She's a pleasure to watch over," Otabek beamed, turning his attention to the toddler in Yuuri's arms. "Hello, Seraphina!"

The toddler babbled and reached out for Otabek, who gladly took her in his arms, giving Yuuri a well needed break.

"You two need a good break, and it's the least we could do." Yuri added in from behind Otabek, tying his hair into a long bun to keep it from the toddlers grip. He'd learnt that the hard way.

"Thank you, Yurio. Call us if you need, but if it's an emergency then call my mother and she'll come right over!" Yuuri grinned, leaning into Viktor's side, before waving goodbye to the young couple and their daughter.

Otabek still had Seraphina in his arms, the toddler now a lot quieter, thumb stuck in her mouth. Yuri crossed his arms over his chest, his heart warming at the sight of Otabek with children. One day he wanted children, with Otabek, but that was a matter to be disgusted later on.

The blonde let out a sigh as he looked at the pile of toddler crap by the door. He rolled his sleeves up and carried some of it to the bedroom, as she'd have to sleep in their bedroom with them. Otabek used his spare arm to haul one of the bags up onto his shoulder, being careful not to drop the little girl in his grip. Otabek followed his partner into their room and dropped the bag onto the bed with a small groan.

Yuri managed to set up the crib by himself, looking through the bags to see what Viktor and Yuuri had packed for the toddler. Plently of clothes, nappies, even bottles. He took the bottles and the plastic plate and spoons to the kitchen, where he placed them in the cupboard for safe keeping. Otabek was lead on the couch, Seraphina laying on his chest fast asleep.

"She asleep already?" Yuri kept his voice low, crouching down next to Otabek on the couch. He nodded, playing with the her hair as she slept. "Bless her, she's adorable."

"She is." Otabek agreed, turning his head to look at Yuri, the blonde leaning forward to press a swift kiss to Otabek's lips.

****

"Here comes the choo choo train!" Otabek spoke with a high pitched tone, as one does with babies. Seraphina clapped and giggled, before taking the spoon in her mouth and eating her food, a little bit dribbling down the side of her mouth. Yuri sat next to Otabek at the table as he fed the toddler, watching at how much of a natural he was at it.

Soon enough Seraphine had finished up her small plate of food, most of it on her face or on her bib. You can't blame her, after all she was only two.

"Play! Play!" The toddler screamed, holding her hands up to be lifted up by Otabek. The older man laughed and lifted her up after cleaning up the dishes.

"Otabek, you've been playing with her all day. Let me take this one, you take a break." Yuri mumbled, pressing a kiss to his partners cheek as he took the toddler from his arms. Seraphina whined, wanting to be with Otabek.

"Later, Seraphina. Beka has to clean first." The toddler nodded in understanding, calming down in Yuri's arms finally. The Russian took Seraphina into the living room and set her down on the floor with her toys. Yuri sat with her, except he was checking his phone every now and again. The toddler was babbling on as she played with her dolls, making them walk and talk and do all kinds of stuff.

"Yura! Yura, play doll!" Seraphina laughed, handing a doll over to her care taker. Yuri grinned and took it, soon playing along with the toddler. Otabek had finished washing and now silently stood watching the two, taking a snap shot of the moment and uploading it to instagtam.

****

Seraphina would not settle as her bedtime approached. Otabek had gone out for a short while to grab some things they needed, leaving Yuri to cope with the crying toddler himself.

"Seraphina, please." Yuri pleaded, hugging the sobbing toddler to his chest as he paced around the room, trying to get her to calm down.

"I want Papa! I want Papa!" She screamed through her tears, Yuri gently rubbing her back as she cried. She was exhausted and needed to sleep, but she just wasn't able to settle. Nothing Yuri did was helping the toddler.

"I know, I know, shh." He hushed her, rocking ber gently as he walked around the bedroom. He couldn't bear to just put her in her crib and walk away. But he had too, other wise she would never sleep. Yuri placed her down in her cot, despite her attempts to stop him. Her screaming became louder and she watched as Yuri left the room.

The exhausted man sat himself down on the couch, head in his hands as he tried to keep himself together. It hadn't even been the first day yet and he was already emotionally exhausted. Seraphine just would not listen to him no matter what, despite the multiple things he tried.

The toddler was still crying and making a fuss when Otabek arrived home, a white plastic bag in his hand. He glanced at Yuri on the couch, a frown replacing the smile he once wore. The older man sighed, dropping the bag off into the kitchen before heading over to Yuri.

"Yuri, everything okay?" He asked, kneeling down beside his partner.

Yuri nodded, raising his head from his hands as he sighed deeply. "Yeah, she just won't settle."

Otabek pursed his lips together and rested a hand on Yuri's knee, before pushing himself up from his crouching postion and disappearing off into the bedroom. Within minutes the crying had subsided, and Otabek reappeared from the bedroom, cautiously closing the bedroom door behind him. The blonde looked over at him, shooting him a thankful smile as Otabek jogged over and sat next to him.

"There you go, that better?" Otabek muttered, pulling Yuri into his side. The Russian groaned and nodded.

"Much, thank you."

****

Seraphina's crying woke them up a few hours later, causing Yuri to switch the bedside lamp on. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, looking over at the cot where she slept. Otabek had already slipped his shirt back on and walked himself over there, trying to calm the toddler down.

How was Otabek such a natural at this? Yuri couldn't do a single thing right with her, no matter what he did she'd continue to throw a tantrum or cry. It was always that way. Otabek was practically a God at this.

"Yura, you awake?" Otabek spoke, earning a sleepy groan from his partner. "She has a high temperature, can you go into the kitchen and grab the medicine? It's in the cabinet, you know which one."

Yuri sleepily complied, pushing himself out of bed and dragging himself to the kitchen, grabbing the childs medicine from the cabinet above the sink before heading back towards the bedroom.

Otabek thanked his partner as he handed it over to him, managing to successfully get Seraphina to take the medicine. Otabek stayed sat on the floor with her in his arms, grying to calm her as best he could. Yuri watched, letting out a deep sigh. Eventually she drifted back to sleep again, despite her high temperature.

"We better watch that, if it continue's she might get a fever." Otabek whispered, placing her back in the cot before climbing back into bed with Yuri, the blonde cuddling into his boyfriends chest with a sigh.

"Poor girl, that must suck." Yuri replied in a low tone, listening to the beat of Otabek's heart as he rested his head on his chest. The sound eventually lulled him to sleep.

****

The next morning was quiet; Seraphina stayed asleep until around 10 A.M, giving the couple time to clean themselves up, have breakfast, and spend time together.

Yuri was exhausted from the night before, but wasn't going to tell Otabek. He wasn't going to let Otabek care for the child by himself just because he couldn't handle it. That would be selfish.

Seraphina woke up and instantly started to cry again, interrupting the peaceful morning the couple were having.

"I'll get her." Yuri said, leaving Otabek's side to go and care for the toddler. Soon later, Yuri came out from the bedroom with Seraphina in his arms. He'd managed to calm her down, and had brought her out to have some breakfast with the two.   
  
Otabek prepared the food for the three of them, Yuri getting the toddler ready for the day in the short mean time. He sat her on his lap at the table, bouncing his knee slightly, listening to her babble on about her dolls and toys. She had each one named. Her favourite was a little cat toy which she had fittingly name Yura.

"Here you go, princess." Otabek grinned as he set down Seraphina's plastic plate in front of her, before sitting across the table from Yura. The toddler dug into her breakfast, which consisted of cut up fruit and a bit of very watered down squash for her drink. Otabek ate his own food after handing Yuri his usual blueberry muffin he had for breakfast. The toddler hummed a tune to herself as she ate, causing both men to laugh at her.

"She seem'sto be feeling better." Otabek commented, finishing a mouthful of his breakfast.

"Yeah she does, but she still has a somewhat high temperature. I'll keep an eye on her." Yuri smiled weakly, still somewhat tired from last nights shenanigans. Otabek grinned softly at his partner, finishing up his food before walking over to the sink and placing his dish in it, gabbing Seraphina's too, once she was finished.

"I have to pop out to the rink for a second to go check on something, will you be alright?"

Yura nodded in response, his long blonde locks falling infront his face. He quickly tucked his hair back, bouncing the toddler in his lap again. Otabek let out a sigh of relief, leaning down to kiss Yuri before grabbing his keys and rushing out the door.

Yuri and Seraphina were left by themselves.

"What do you want to do today, midget?" Yuri asked, tickling the toddlers sides. She squirmed and giggled in his lap, smacking his hands away.

"Dollies!" Seraphine chirped, climbing off of Yuri's lap and toddling away into the living room. The Russian followed behind her, watching as sne plopped herself down next to her abundance of toys.

She played happily for a while, and Yuri sat himself on the couch, watching TV whilst she did. Suddenly, she started to cry again, not her usual loud cry, but a soft, whimpery type of cry. Yuri frowned and moved from the couch, sitting himself next to her, rubbing ber back gently.

"Everythinv okay, kitten?" He asked, his voice soft. The toddler shook her head, rubbing her eyes as she continued to cry. What Yuri least expected was for her to fhrow up all over him, which is exactly what she did. "Oh God, you really aren't well."

Yuri carried the vomit covered toddler to the bathroom, sitting her on his lap as he ran a luke warm bath to clean her up. Whilst it was running, he removed his messed shirt from his body, throwing it in the laundry bin the opposite end of the bathroom to be cleaned. The toddler vomited again, but luckily this time it was over the toilet, so the only mess to clear up was her face. Once there was a shallow pool in the bath, Yuri checked the temperature and removed Seraphina's clothing, lifting her into the bath to clean her up as best he could.

****

Otabek was taking longer than planned at the rink, and Yuri was starting to panic. Seraphina was getting sicker as the minutes ticked by. She'd stopped vomiting, but she had a high fever, was barely responsive now and was covered in sweat. He reached for his phone and rapidly dialed Otabek's number, waiting and praying for him to pick up.

_"Yura, I'm sorry I'm taking so long, I just-"_

"Otabek, you need to come back right now. Fuck everything else, Seraphina is getting worse. A lot worse. She vomited everywhere earlier, shes got a raging fever and she isnt very responsive. Please, hurry!" Yuri practically yelled down the phone, interrupting his partner.

_"Shit, okay. Call Yuuri's mother."_

"I tried, no answer. I left a voice mail about an hour ago and still nothing."

_"What about Viktor and Yuuri?"_

The blonde sighed and ran a hand through his hair, glancing over at the toddler laying on his bed, small whimpers coming from her every now and then. "I'm not about to ruin their holiday, Beka. I can take care of this."

_"Yuri, they'd want to be there if their daughter got sick. I'll call and tell them."_

Otabek hung up before Yuri could fit in another, causing him to curse under his breath. The Russian turned back to the toddler on his bed, pressing the back of his hand against her sweat covered forehead. Still burning hot.

"Papa.." She forced out, a sniffle following. Yura sighed sadly, nodding his head as he brushed her hair back from her face.

"Papa's coming, kitten."

The Kazakh man was back quicker than expected, rushing into the bedroom where his partner was tending for the child.

"Yura, are you okay?" Otabek mumbled as he sat next to Yuri on the floor, pulling the blonde into his embrace. Yuri nodded, just thankful that Beka was finally home.

"Yeah, I'm fine. She's asleep, thank God. Her fever has held up a bit too." The Russian commented, a tired smile gracing his lips.

****

Seraphina managed to sleep through the night, not waking once. Both men were thankful for this, and her fever seemed to be dwindling. Otabek once again had to pop out the next day, leaving Yuri alone with the toddler until Yuuri and Viktor came back to pick her up. It was her last day with them, and Yuri was worried. He was worried sick how Yuuri and Viktor would react to this. He really wasn't a good caretaker and he knew that.

Yuri picked Seraphine up out her crib when she woke, carrying her back to the bed with him, sitting her on his lap. Otabek had already left, and promised he'd be back real soon. He only had to pick up some essentials.

"I'm so sorry, Seraphina," Yuri mumbled, watching the toddler play with his phone, fascinated by the strange object. "I shouldn't have let you get like this. I'm an awful care taker, I know. I can't calm you, I can't do anything right. I've left it all to Beka. He probably hates me for that. He'll probably leave me for it, too. I'm scared that he will."

"Yura," Seraphina babbled, dropping his phone and turning around to look at him. She placed her tiny hands on his cheeks, trying her best to give him a stern look. It was rather adorable. "You good baby sitter."

Yuri laughed softly, his eyes filling with tears, the pat few days finally catching up with him. "Thank you, midget."

The toddler threw her arms around his neck, giving him her best bear hug. Yuri hugged the toddler back, letting himself fall apart for once in his life. He let out a gentle sob, Seraphina pulling back to look at him with a frown on her face.

"No cry!" She demanded, trying to wipe the tears from Yuri's cheeks as they fell. He let out a small laugh, wiping them away himself with the back of his hand. "Yura, no cry!"

The front door unlocked, and Seraphina turned her attention to the noise. She scrambled off the bed and out the bedroom door, screeching in joy. Yuri got up and followed her, seeing Yuuri and Viktor in the living room. He leant against the door frame, tears still running down his cheeks as he looked at the older couple reunite with their daughter. Otabek must have seen them when he was out and handed them the key.

"Papa! Dada!" The toddler screeched, running into Yuuri's arms. The two hugged tightly, the Japanese man picking his daughter up in a bear hug.

"Seraphina! Gosh, you look better than what Beka described, I'm glad!" Yuuri sighed in relief, not noticing Yuri watching from the door way.

Viktor noticed, however. The older Russian frowned when he saw Yuri in tears at the door, despite the strong face he was putting on. He was forcing a smile, wiping at his tears ever so often.

"Yuri, what's wrong?" Viktor asked, making his way over to the blonde. It was those three words that really made Yuri break down, and the younger Russian rushed over to meet Viktor, hugging him tightly as he cried into his chest. It was rare that Yuri ever hugged Viktor, let alone cried in front of him.

Viktor turned to look at his husband, who had a concerned look plastered all over his face for the young Russian. Viktor rubbed Yuri's back, comforting him as he sobbed.

"Yura sad." Seraphine spoke quietly, catching her fathers attention.

"Why's he sad, babe?" Yuuri asked, his brows knitting together at his daughters words. Even though she was two, Seraphina understood a lot for her age.

"Yura said he's not a good person, that he bad. He said that he think Beka hate him and will leave him," Seraphina told Yuuri, and he let out a solemn sigh. He placed the toddler down on the floor, walking over to Viktor and Yuri. The blonde was still a complete mess, crying into Viktor uncontrollably. "I told him that he not bad."

"Good girl, Seraphina. You're very much right, baby girl. He isn't bad, and Otabek isn't going to hate him or leave him for that fact." Yuri turned his head look at Katsuki, tears still spilling from his eyes, face flushed and eyes bloodshot. Viktor still had his arms wrapped around the younger Russian, giving him the reassurance he so very well needed.

Viktor pushed Yuri back from his, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Yurio, Otabek adores you. He is head over heels in love with you. Why would you think such things?"

Yurio shook his head, wiping the tears from his eyes as he calmed himself enough to speak like a normal human. "I've left all this to him. I left Seraphima to him. I couldn't handle it!"

"Yuri, sweetheart, that's okay. We know just how tough and exhausting it is. He isn't going to hate you for it. Trust me." Yuuri smiled reassuringly at the younger Russian, Seraphima tugging on Yuri's trouser leg.

"Uppy!" She spoke, holding her arms up. Yuri wiped his cheeks again, a smile replacing the frown on his lips as he bent down to pick the toddler up. "I love Yura!"

"I love you too, Seraphina." Yuri mumbled, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek, the toddler doing the same back to Yuri. Viktor and Kastuki laughed at the two, their heads turning towards the door as Otabek appeared, finally back from doing what he needed. 

Otabek had a confused look plastered on his face as he looked at a tearful Yuri, with Viktor and Yuuri stood opposite.

It wasn't a second later he made his way over to Yuri, engulfing him in a tight hug, minding the toddler in his arms. He pressed a soft kiss to Yuri's lips, using the pad of his thumb to wipe away the quickly drying tears.

"Hey, now. What's all the tears for?" Otabek hummed, keeping Yuri close to his side. The blonde shook his bead, dismissing the question.

"Just tired." Yuri replied, not wanting to worry Otabek with his silly thoughts.

The younger man gave Seraphina back to Yuuri, wrapping his arms around Otabek's waist in another hug, letting out a deep sigh.

"You not gonna leave Yura, Beka." Seraphina's words shocked Otabek, and Yuri tensed up in Otabek's arms. Viktor physically face palmed; that daughter of his could not keep her mouth shut. Yuuri hushed Seraphina, quietly scolding her for what she said.

"No, of course I'm not going to leave him. Yuri, what's going on, for real?" Otabek asked, his brows furrowed as he looked down at his partner. Yuri took a deep breath glancing at Viktor before looking back at Otabek.

"I just got tired and emotional, things started rushing through my head. I thought you were going to leave me. I completely left Seraphina to you because I couldn't handle it. I'm so sorrt." Yura spoke quietly, tucking his hair behind his ear as he finished speaking.

Otabek sighed, pursing his lips together and he pulled Yuri into yet another hug, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "You silly billy, I love you."

"I love you too, Beka."

Viktor and Yuuri laughed quietly as Seraphina applauded the couple. Yuri grinned at the toddler, and so did Otabek.

****

Viktor and Yuuri had long left, Otabek and Yurio finally having some time to themselves. Yuri had been rather quiet all day, trying to avoid much conversation with his partner.

They both sat in bed, on their phones. Yura had his back towards Otabek as he scrolled through the posts on his instagram, liking the ones he wanted. Otabek locked his phone and placed it on the side, turning to face Yuri.

"Hey," Otabek tried to catch Yuri's attention. The blonde locked his phone and put it away on the bed side table, turning to face Otabek. "You're a proper numpty."

"Shut up, I'm not in the mood." Yuri snapped, turning back around, his back towards Beka. The Kazakh man let out a sigh and wrapped his arm around his partners waist.

"Yuri, I love you. I'm not going to leave you, and I sure as hell don't hate you. Fuck, I want to spend my life with you, if that's even a possibility. I want to have a family with you one day in the future." Otabek mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to the nape of Yuri's neck. Yuri shivered, pressing his back into Otabek's chest.

"I'm sorry, Beka. Can we just forget I said any of that?" Yuri replied quitely, enjoying Otabek's body heat against his own.

"Of course, Yura."

 


	12. Break The Ice (Otayuri/Otamila)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek and Mila have been dating for quite a while. Yuri has been hiding his feelings for ages. When he sees Otabek kissing Mila on the ice one day, he can't take it and runs from the rink. He refuses to talk to Otabek.

Yuri was sat on his bed, his mouse hovering over the skype call button on Otabek's profile. He wanted to call, he really did. Something was holding him back from doing so; he wasn't sure what, but it didn't feel good.

Ever since Otabek and Mila started dating, Otabek had barely talked to Yuri. They used to skype every night, but now that went to Mila. Otabek rarely answered Yurio's texts anymore, so he gave up in trying. It used to be Yurio he hopped on a plane to visit; now he was practically non-existent.

It hurt him, but it's what was to be, right, Yuri wasn't needed anymore by Otabek. The Russian sighed, slamming his laptop lid shut and placing it on his bedside table. It was late and he needed to rest. He was sure that would help him feel a bit better. Yakov had given him a few days of rest after he badly landed a toe loop and injured his leg, and he was thankful for that, even if he was desperate to get back on the ice again.

As he was about to lay his head on his pillows and go to sleep, his phone buzzed on the bedside table. The teen reached for his phone and looked at the text. It was from Otabek, and for a split moment Yuri hoped that Otabek finally wanted Yuri back in his life.

No, unfortunately that was not the case at this point in time. The text made him scowl at his phone, almost throwing it across the room.

' _Hey, Mila's birthday is coming up soon. What should I get her?'_

Yuri took a deep breath as he typed out a quick reply and press send. It perhaps wasn't the nicest of texts, but Yuri was done being fucked around like this. He didn't know how much longer be could hide his feelings away from Otabek without possibly exploding.

_'I don't know and I don't care.'_

He slammed his phone down on the bedside table, making sure it was on No Disturb so he wouldn't have to see what Otabek had texted him back.

The Kazakh had been staying in Russia to train for a while under Viktor, which Yuri hated. He hated it but loved it at the same time; on the one hand, he got to see Otabek. On the other hand, he _had_ to see Otabek. The teen was torn on what was wrong and right anymore.

His thoughts eventually settled and he fell asleep, hoping that the next day would be some what uneventful for him.

****

When he awoke the next morning the first thing he did was check his phone. He had a few texts from Otabek, and one from Yuuri.

_'Wow, don't have to be so nasty, Yuri. Was only asking.'_

_'Besides, what's got you so distant?'_

_'What's wrong?'_

The last two made him cringe; how dare he have the audacity to even ask that when he sure as hell knows why. Otabek basically refused to talk to him or visit him anymore, why would he ask this out of the blue? He was pretty sure Otabek didn't even class him as a friend anymore.

_'Yurio, Viktor's worried about you. So am I.'_

Yuuri was sweet, and he was thankful he'd given the Japanese skater a chance at being his friend. It gave him a feeling that for once, someone cared about him.

He typed back that he was fine and just needed a break and pressed send, before pushing himself out of bed to get himself ready. Even though he wasn't meant to be skating, he was still going to visit the rink and watch practise. Perhaps Yuuri or Viktor would be there, and he could talk with them. Get everything off his chest so he could finally _breathe._

He wore his usual black t-shirt, black jeans, black hoodie and his Russian sports top. It was cold out, and would probably be the same in the ice rink. His hair was tied back in a half up do, as it was beginning to get quite long.

He managed to get Viktor to pick him up and take him to the rink, as there was no way else he could get there. His grandpa was still asleep and wouldn't wake up to take him when he's meant to be resting.

"Thank you for doing this, Viktor." Yuri sighed as he climbed into the car, rapidly racing to buckle up his seat belt.

"No problem, Yurio. How have you been?" The car engine roared to life as Viktor spoke, and they soon pulled off and started on their way to the rink.

"I guess I've been better. My ankle hurts, my head is full of shitty thoughts and I just feel... trapped." The Russian teen sighed as he pulled his hood up over his head, looking out the window at the familiar surroundings passing by. Viktor glanced at Yuri for a split second, suddenly worried about his fellow Russian again.

"Want to talk?" Viktor asked, turning the car into the parking lot of the rink. Yuri sighed, shaking his head as Viktor pulled the car into a parking space and parked up. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Is Yuuri here?" Yuri asked, undoing his seat belt. Viktor nodded, and Yuri rushed out the car, trying his best to run on his still injured ankle. Viktor smiled to himself as he watched Yuri run to meet his husband inside. Yuri often confided in Yuuri instead of Viktor, which was strange considering he used to hate him.

****

"Yuuri! Yuuri, wait up!" Yurio called, running up to the man in front of him. Katsuki turned around and grinned when he saw Yurio racing over to him, stopping in his tracks so the teen could catch up to him.

"Yuri, take it easy on your foot. You come to watch practise today?" Yuuri grinned and nodded his head towards the rink, a few skaters already taken to the ice. The blonde nodded and followed Yuuri to the stands to watch, staying close to his side.

Viktor joined them soon after, and Yuri blocked out the conversation they were having next to him. In fact, he blocked out everything. He was just thinking; thinking about everything and nothing all at once.

"Hey, Yurio. What's wrong?" Yuuri tapped his shoulder, grabbing his attention away from his thoughts. "You spaced out."

"I'm sorry, just thinking."

"You've been doing that a lot lately." Viktor chimed in, raising a brow at the teen. Yurio shook his head and sighed, pushing his fringe back from his vision as he turned his gaze to the rink.

"I guess I have." Yuri mumbled, resting his chin in the palm of his hand as he watched the scattered skaters practise their jumps.

"That's very unlike you." Katsuki frowned, resting a hand on Yuri's back. In all honesty, Yuri was 100% true. Yuri never thought, let alone like this. Everything was just swamping him and it was affecting him; it's why he landed his jump so badly and hurt himself as he did.

Yuri opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud laugh. He looked at the ice rink and saw Mila rush out onto the ice, Otabek following behind seconds later. His brows knitted together, and he leant forward in his seat to watch the two carefully. They were skating circles around each other, just messing about and all. Yurio wished that was him instead of Mila. Viktor and Yuuri watched how Yurio reacted to them, and suddenly everything fell into place.

The teen was practically on the edge of his seat watching the two lovers frolic around on the ice, grinning and laughing at each other. Viktor nudged his husband's shoulder, before glancing at Yurio. Kastuki nodded at Viktor and let out a sigh, knowing all too well that this wasn't going to end well at all.

"Yurio-"

"What?!" The Russian snapped, turning his head to look at Yuuri. Katsuki frowned, taking in a deep breath before continuing what he was going to say.

"Yurio, you like Otabek, don't you?"

"No shit, Sherlock. Have been for months." The blonde rolled his eyes, watching Viktor raise a brow at him from behind Yuuri, silently warning him to keep it on a down low. Yurio scoffed at the two before turning his attention back towards the rink, his heart dropping as he saw Mila and Otabek locking lips on the middle of the rink. It seemed like the world around him stopped completely.

There wasn't even a moments hesitation and he was out of there, walking as fast as he could without injuring himself to find a place where he could be alone for a while. When his mind cleared slightly, he found himself leant up against the wall in a silent corridor, thankful that there were barely any skaters today. He let himself breathe, calming himself as he tried to get that scene out of his head. Nothing was working, and it just kept coming back to haunt him.

It wasn't long before his silence was interrupted by yet more laughter. The Russian groaned, knowing all to well who the laughs belonged too. The couple soon appeared at the end of the corridor, hand in hand. Yurio's blood boiled at the sight and he took off in their direction.

"Yuri! I didn't-"

Yurio rushed past Otabek, purposely knocking his shoulder with his own, stopping the Kazakh from saying anything to him. He wasn't in the mood to hear any bullshit right now, certainly not whilst he was on the brink of a break down.

****

Otabek had been trying to contact Yuri that whole day, to no avail. The Russian refused to answer his phone, and stayed locked away in his house, his ankle throbbing from all the walking and running he did today. It was a stupid idea now that he thought about it, he should have never gone to the rink. He should have never fallen in love with Otabek. He should have never even been friends with him.

Once again Yuri was sat on his bed, laptop placed on his lap, slowly heating his thighs as he scrolled through a few articles that had captured his attention. It was late, coming up to midnight in fact, but Yuri frankly didn't care. This article about the snow leopard was simply too interesting to stop reading now.

All of a sudden, a Skype call popped up. It was Otabek. Yuri was swift to decline the call, tempted to block Otabek so he wouldn't call him again. As he expected, he tried to call again. The Russian declined, hoping he would get the damn message already. Nothing. He left out a sigh of relief, which was interrupted by a Skype message popping up in the bottom corner of his screen. It simply read _'Yuri.'_

"You just don't give up, do you?" He mumbled to himself, opening up the message just to get rid of the notification. Otabek started typing, and a few more messages popped up for Yurio to read.

_'I know you won't reply.'_

_'Just know that whatever is bugging you, you can always talk to me.'_

_'I'm a friend.'_

Yuri scoffed at the word. _Friend._ The word left a revolting after taste in his mouth. Friend. They weren't friends. Yuri wished they had never became friends in the first place. He wanted to forget.

Yuri swore to himself in that moment that he would forget that him and Otabek ever met, ever became friends. He would treat Otabek like a stranger on the street if it came to it. No more talking, no more gazing at him, no more thinking about him. No more Otabek.

****

It had been a few months since Yuri stopped talking to Otabek. He'd avoided him like the plague. Otabek never gave up on trying to contact him though, which made it even harder for Yurio to forget.

The Kazakh had returned to his own country in that time, relieving Yurio a bit. It mean't he could go to the ice rink to escape, knowing that Otabek and Mila wouldn't be there, practically going at it on the ice. Yuuri and Viktor had seen how much Yuri had relaxed since Otabek had left, and it made his skating flow a lot smoother than before. Everything seemed to be going to plan for Yuri now.

That was until one Friday night, when Yuri was home alone. His grandpa had gone out with some old friends of his to catch up, leaving Yuri in the house by himself. Of course, he didn't mind that at all.

He was sat lazing on the couch after a hard day at practise, the TV playing in the background as he scrolled theough his instagram feed, checking out all the posts from his friends. Most of it was just Phichits selfies, as usual, but there were a few cat pictures here and there to break it up. 

A knock on the door caught his attention, and he rose from the couch and jogged over to the front door to open it. He regretted not checking through the peep hole first.

"Hi, Yuri," Otabek sheepishly grinned, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Yuri scoffed and went to shut the door, but Otabek reacted quickly and put his foot in the way, making Yuri re-open the door again. "Just let me talk."

"Why the fuck are you standing at my door, asshole?" Yuri snarled, looking him up and down. Otabek frowned, his shoulder falling and rising as he let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I asked you a fucking question."

"I realise, Yuri. Let me in and I'll explain why I'm here." Otabek was serious, his tone and his face showed it. Yuri gave in with little fight, standing to the side to let Otabek into his home.

"You better talk quick, and you better have a good explanation." The Russian flopped onto the couch, arms crossed over his chest as he stared up at Otabek, watching him sit on the couch opposite him.

"Mila and I broke up."

"Good to know. Why are you here?" Yuri asked again, silently rejoicing at Otabek's confession.

"I wanted to see you."

"Oh, so you only want to fucking see me and talk to me after you break up with Mila? That's fucking great isn't it. So I'm a back up plan now?"

Otabek frowned at Yuri's words, wondering what on earth he was blabbering on about this time around.

"Yuri, what? How are you a back up plan?" Otabek was confused, shuffling himself closer to the blonde opposite him on the couch.

"You stopped talking to me, you stopped skyping me, you wouldn't answer texts or calls from me. You stopped coming to visit me. You forgot I existed yet had the guts to tell me we are still friends. Why would you fuck me around like thag, Otabek?" Yuri rushed out, pushing himself up from the couch, throwing his arms about as he talked. Otabek had no reply to what Yuri said, simply sighing and turning his gaze to the couch, unable to look Yuri in the eye.

"I have no excuse." Otabek muttered, earning a sarcastic laugh from Yuri.

"See, I knew it. You don't care about me at all."

"Yuri, don't say such things, please. You know that's not true."

Yuri was practically gritting his teeth together at this point in time, anger flowing through his veins, charging him up in a way he loathed.

Otabek stood up fro where he was perched on the couch, taking a step towards the Russian. Yuri took a step back, holding his hands up in front of him to stop Otabek from coming any closer to him.

"I care about you Yuri. I really do, just let me show you that I do." Otabek pleaded, reaching forward to grab Yuri's wrist and drag him close to him, hugging him tightly donhis chest. Yuri tried to back out of the hug, but eventually fell victim to Otabek's warm embrace. He'd missed their hugs, there was always something incredibly special about them. They made Yuri feel warm, safe. They made him feel calm and relaxed. It was a deadly weapon that Otabek always used on Yuri, because he knew just how potent it really was.

"Don't leave me again."  
  
"I won't, I promise you."


	13. Regret (Otayuri/Pliroy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri and Otabek have been dating over a year. Recently, Yuri won't stop talking about JJ. Otabek finally snaps.

The rink was mostly empty now, as most people had gone home from practise for that day. A few lingered around for a while, two of those people being Yuri and Otabek.

They had been dating for a good year and a bit now, and they had never been happier. Yuri had almost changed completely, becoming a nicer person in general; even to JJ.

Otabek loved Yuri with all his being, so much in fact he thought it would eventually kill him. Everything about Yuri just made him warm.

Everyone knew they were eventually going to get together. Phichit had called it first, making a bet with Mila on when it would happen. Of course, the Thai won. In fact, he had managed to snap the exact moment Otabek had finally asked Yuri to be his. Yuri hated the damn photo, he was a blushing mess that was practically bawling into Otabek's chest from utter happiness.

In other news, JJ and Yurio had been getting along so much better. They considered each other friends now, and would talk a lot more than usual and would even chose to hang around with each other if the opportunity arose.

Just like how the other week Yurio had actually invited JJ back to his hotel room after a practise. Most skaters were currently staying in the US for a skating camp sort of thing held by Yakov and Viktor. Otabek wasn't entirely happy about JJ going back with Yuri, but trusted his partner enough that he'd respect his decision. After all, it was nice to see Yuri making some friends. It was JJ he didn't trust.

He knew how that man worked, and how he charmed people in the way he did. Otabek worried that JJ would steal Yuri away from him, no matter how many times Yuri reassured Otabek that he was the one he loved.

"Beka, come back and give me cuddles!" Yuri yelled, watching his partner saunter off to the bathroom. He pouted, laying stomach down on the bed as he waited for Otabek to reappear from the toilet. It wasn't long before Otabek was back, Yuri's face lighting up in a bright grin.

"Alright, I'm back, how scooch your butt over so I can actually lay down." Otabek chuckled, watching Yuri shuffle over so he coukd sit next to him on the small bed. Otabek pulled Yuri into his arms as they lead on the bed and cuddled, watching the programme on the crappy hotel TV.

Yuri, however, was more interested in Otabek than he was the TV show in front of him. The Russian smirked to himself as he moved himself up a little, pressing short, lingering kisses to Otabek's jaw line. The older man grunted a little, shifting himself. Yuri chuckled, slipping his hand under Otabek's shirt, running his hand across Otabek's warm skin as he continued to kiss along his jawline, enjoying the reaction he was getting from his boyfriend.

"Yura, not now." Otabek breathed, grabbing Yuri's wrist and stopping him, causing the blonde to jut his bottom lip out in yet another pout.

"Why not?" He asked, sitting himself up to look at Otabek. His partner simply raised a brow and shook his head, not needing to give any reason as to why he didn't want to. "Can I at least have a kiss then?"

Otabek grinned at his partner, sitting himself up and cupping Yuri's cheeks in his hands, their lips ghosting over each others for a brief second before a knock on the hotel door interrupted the two. The Kazakh groaned as Yuri rushed over to get the door, rolling his eyes when he saw none other than JJ standing there.

"JJ! What are you doing here, it's late!" Yuri beamed, inviting JJ into his hotel room without a second thought. The Canadian grinned down a Yuri, pulling him in for a swift hug before walking over and sitting himself on the bed next to Otabek.

"I could ask the same about Mr. Altin over here." JJ poked at Otabek, earning a nasty scowl from the man. JJ threw his hands up in defense, letting out an amused laugh.

"He's my boyfriend, what else do you expect? He come's here most nights." Yuri shrugged, closing the hotel door and making his way over to the bed. Otabek pursed his lips together when Yurio sat next to JJ instead of him, jealousy racing through his veins.

"Yuri's right, it's late. I best be off then." Otabek spoke, his tone bland and cold. Yuri's brows knitted together in confusion, watching Otabek as he grabbed his jacket and left with out another word.

The Russian brushed his hair back behind his ear, the corner of his lips turning down ward in a downcast frown. JJ wondered if he had done something to upset Otabek and make him leave in such a rush.

"Yuri, what was that about?" JJ asked, raising a brow as he wrapped an arm around the younger ones shoulders. Yuri shrugged in response, turning his head to look at JJ next to him.

"I don't know, he's been really funny like this lately and I have no clue why." Yuri admitted. Perhaps he was just having a funny five minutes and needed time to himself.

****

Yuri and Otabek were at the side of the rink stretching, ready for todays practise. Yuri had been going on non-stop about how JJ told this really funny joke, and he couldn't tell it because everytime he tried he was double over in laughter. Otabek was starting to lose his mind. JJ this, and JJ that. Everything was just JJ. Otabek rarely evengot time with Yuri now, so much so he almost considered him a complete stranger.

"JJ has some really funny jokes, you know," Yuri laughed, letting out a content sigh as he made his way onto the ice. Otabek was grumbling under his breath, his face twisted in a nasty frown, annoyance radiating out from him. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You're seriously asking me what's wrong?" Otabek raised his voice, causing his partner to flinch and take a step back. What had Yuri done to upset Otabek in such a manner? He was never ever like this.

"Otabek, what-"

"JJ this, and JJ that. It's all fucking JJ now, isn't it?! God, Yuri sometimes I swear you just want to fuck him or some shit like that. Jesus, I wouldn't be surprised if you already have!" The Kazakh yelled, the few other skaters now looking on at the pair as the scene unfolded in front of them.

"Otabek, what the hell are you on about?" Yuri asked, his voice meek and scared as kept his gaze on the ice, somewhat terrified of how Otabek was going to react to him.

"You know what Yuri? I'm done. We're done. I'm not being fucked around like this anymore. Go to JJ, you obvious love him more." Otabek growled, skating past Yuri and shoving his shoulder slightly. The other skaters there were silent, just staring at the blonde stood in the middle of the rink. His gaze was focused on the ice below him, hands limp by his side as he began to sob, tears spilling down his cheeks and dropping onto the ice. No one moved an inch.

It was only seconds later Yuri bolted off the ice, quickly discarding his skates to the side before running off to the second floor of the ice rink, where he stopped at a large floor to ceiling window, looking out over the city. He watched the city life buzz around, before sitting himself down on the floor, pulling his knees to his chest as he let himself fall apart.

Had that really just happened? Had Otabek just publicly broken up with him in front of a bunch of fellow skaters? He felt _mortified._ Never in his life had something like that happened. He felt he could never show his face in public again after that. He justw anted to be alone, to forget everything for a while. Just sleep and wake up and have everything be okay again.

"Stupid question, but is everything okay?" A familiar voice broke the silence, and Yuri lifted his head from his knees to see JJ standing above him, hands in his pocket and a warm reassuring smile on his face.

The Russian forced a gloomy smile. "Hey," He spoke, letting out a deep sigh as JJ sat next to him, letting out a groan as he planted himself on the floor. "I'm fine."

"You're obviously not, Yuri. Look at you. You're in tears. I heard what happened on the ice. I'm really sorry he said all that." JJ straightened one leg out, bending his other to rest his arm upon, nudging Yuri with his shoulder.

"Yeah, I hate him for that." Yuri scoffed, wiping the stray tears from his cheeks as he let out a shaky sigh.

"You don't need him in your life if he is going to treat you like that Yuri. You can do so much better."

"But JJ, I love him. I love him and yet he doesn't see that because I'm friends with you." The Russian leant his head back against the window, and JJ placed a hand on Yuri's knee.

"You may love him. You may love him for a good while yet. You might still think about him and all. I swear though, you'll move on eventually. I promise."

****

It'd been over a year since Otabek broke up with Yuri, leaving the poor boy a broken mess. It was an asshole move to do and he regretted it the moment he said it. He loved Yuri more than anything and still did, but Yuri would refuse to talk to him, avoiding him like the plague. He acted as if Otabek was a stranger to him.

Seeing his ex walk around with JJ was not a sight he particularly enjoyed in all honesty. Yuri had no one else to go to that was his age. JJ had been there for him since the day the two split, keeping him from completely falling apart.

Otabek wanted Yuri back; no, he needed him back. Once again Viktor and Yakov were holding a training camp since the last one was such a major success, all the skaters were staying and training in the same hotel and ice rink. Yuuri was helping this time around, but not as much as Yakov or Viktor was.

Otabek was on a mission to find Yuri and win his heart back for good.

"Hey, Yuri?" JJ tapped his Russian friend on the shoulder, grabbing his attention from his phone. Yuri hummed in response, grinning up at the Canadian. "Don't look now but Otabek is heading this way."

"JJ, don't let him near me please. Do something that will stop him from walking over here!" Yuri whisper-yelled, trying not to show obvious panic in his body language and facial expressions.

"Okay, but don't hate me for this."

JJ wrapped an arm around Yuri's waist, gently holding his chin with his other hand as he leant down and press a soft kiss to Yuri's lips. He was surprised to say the least, but melted in the kiss, his hands falling to rest on JJ's chest, leaning up on his toes to kiss JJ better. The two melted into each other, completeky content in what they were doing. Yuri wrapped his fingers around the fabric on JJ's shirt, pulling him down to kiss him more, their lips moving together in a perfect sync.

They pulled back after a short while, Yuri blushing madly. The two laughed quietly between each other, Yuri burying his face in JJ's chest.

Otabek watched from the other end of the corridor, fists balled by his side and the anger swelled up inside him. How dare JJ kiss _his_ Yuri. How dare he! He couldn't hold himself back and made his way over to the two, calling JJ's name to grab his attention before lunging out and punching JJ straight in the jaw, sending the Canadian flying to the ground. Yurio took a step back out of shock, not knowing how to react to such a situation. Otabek had already climbed on top of JJ, pinning him to the ground to give him no chance of getting away, shouting a string of insults and threats at him.

Yuri eventually snapped back into reality and pulled the Kazakh off of JJ, having to put himself in between the two to get Otabek to stop going for JJ.

"Jesus Christ Otabek, what the fuck is wrong with you!" Yuri screamed, pushing Otabek's chest and causing him to stumble backwards. The two were both fired up, their breathing heavy and erratic as they stared at each other, JJ still on the floor, not wanting to stand up yet.

"He fucking kissed you, Yuri!" Otabek yelled, trying to push past Yuri to get to the Canadian who was still lead on the floor. Yurio wasn't having it, he wasn't going to have his psyco ex beat someone up just because they kissed him. It's a stupid, childish thing to do.

"Otabek, it's been over a year since we broke up. Just move on. I'm happier with out you. Please, just don't hurt JJ anymore, he doesn't deserve it," Yuri pleaded, eventually getting Otabek to turn around and leave the two alone. "JJ, I'm so sorry he did that to you."

"Eh, it's fine. I'm just glad I got to kiss you, if I'm honest." JJ grinned, his cheek a burning red as Yuri knelt down next to him, his cheeks painted a pale pink.

"Still, I hoped that would make him go away, not frigging punch you." The blonde sighed, standing up and pulling JJ up with him, hugging him tightly. JJ hugged back, wrapping his arms around his smaller friend, letting out a happy sigh as he pressed a kiss into Yuri's hair.

"It was worth it to kiss you." JJ smirked cheekily, earning a long drawn out whine from Yurio in his arms.

"Shut up, you loser." Yuri groaned, looking up at JJ with a childish grin plastered on his face. The Canadian leant down, pressing their lips together again, the kiss full of meaning and passion.

Even with the bitter after taste of Otabek, Yuri still couldn't help but fall head over heels for JJ.


	14. Dark Enough (Multiple)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so let me explain this one to you. It is somewhat from Guang's POV to begin with. I will say now that I have to put big trigger warnings as this one shot will include depression, anxiety, mention of suicide, mention of suicide attempt, self harm, you get the gist. I don't want to trigger anyone. I personally will find this hard to write but I've thought this through.

Yuuri Katsuki was a role model for many. Especially Guang, he looks up to Yuuri like no one else did. He was everything the young skater wanted to be. Happy, talented, successful, loved. There wasn't a day which passed where Yuuri would not be smiling. Everything about him and his life seemed like absolute perfection. Whenever someone was down and doubting themselves, Yuuri was their by their side, ready to cheer them up and make them grin again. He was always cracking jokes and making everyone around him a million times happier. Guang wished he could do that too. He wished that he could have the life Yuuri had.

It never occurred to Guang that he too was talented and loved. He didn't see this and would always compare himself to everyone around him. These thoughts constatly brought him down and made him doubt himself, but not once did he mention this to anyone. He kept it to himself and bottled it up. What a dangerous game to be playing.

He would always see Viktor with Yuuri, always smiling at him like he was the reason for being alive, like he was the reason the world turned. It made Guang jealous; why couldn't he have someone like that in his life? He always watched as they laughed together, as they skated together, complimented each other and encouraged each other when needed. However Guang had this person in his life, but because of how he was feeing and what his head was telling him, he never noticed it. Leo may not be always there by his side, but he was always there to support Guang and help him through the hardest of times. He was always there ready to help him in times of need. He just wished that Guang would see this and open up a bit more.

It never once occurred to him that Yuuri's life wasn't perfect. He had his ups and he had his downs. He had those days where getting out of bed wasn't an option for him. He had his days where everything would just go wrong. He had always been a pro in hiding this however, and kept up his happy facade and fooled his friends into a false sense of security.

Why was Yuuri so perfect? What had he done to deserve such praise and happiness in his life. Why wasn't Guang allowed to have happiness in his? Why was he cursed to always doubt himself and hate himself? What had he done so wrong thag he deserved such a cruel punishment?

Yet another day at the rink, and Guang was watching as Yuuri went over a routine him and Viktor had been working on for ages. He got better with every practise he did. When Yuuri finished, Guang could hear shouts of encouragement and applaud coming from Viktor. He deserved it, he truly looked incredible.

"My my, Yuuri! Every time you complete that routine it just gets better and better. I'm so proud of you." Viktor exclaimed as he leaned over the barrier of the rink, pulling Yuuri into a strong embrace. The Japanese skater hugged his husband as he tried tonregain his breath, the routine still being a bit too much for him. He was always one who liked to push his limits though.

"Thank you, Viktor. Can we call it a day now? I'm exhausted." Yuuri grinned, watching as Viktor rolled his eyes and sighed, a playfullness about him as he did so. He nodded, and Yuuri celebrated to himself as he skated off the ice, instantly having an arm wrapped around his waist from Viktor.

Guang sighed and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, turning his gaze away from the two and back to his phone. A new text had just come through from Leo, who had been unable to attened this camp that was going on. This camp would last a few good months and would help all levels of figure skaters from around the globe. Even with this fact, Guang felt lonely and excluded.

' _Cheer up Guang. I may not be there but I can fee you frowning._ ' The text made the Chinese skater grin, even if it was a small one. He swiftly typed out a text and pressed send, locking his phone and putting it away in his pocket as he rose from where he sat. He looked around the rink. It seemed somewhat empty, and then he realised most skaters would have left for lunch by now. They'd be back within the next hour. Maybe he too should get something to eat, as working on an empty stomach wasn't the smartest of ideas.

He walked to the front of the rink, hands in pockets and head low until he heard an all too familiar chuckle from ahead of him. He looked up and saw Yuuri and Viktor, being their usual sappy selves. Viktor had his arms wrapped around Yuuri's waist, peppering his partner's face with a bunch of kisses. Yuuri was in fits of giggles as Viktor did this, trying his hardest to push him away so they could go and get something to eat. Guang sighed as he went to walk pass them, only to be stopped when Yuuri called his name.

"Guang, is everything okay? You seem distracted?" Yuuri was still locked in Viktor's arms, but he looked genuinely worried about the younger skater in front of him. Viktor was also looking at Guang, his expression matching Yuuri's. He nodded.

"Yeah, guess I'm just tired, that's all. I'll be fine, I'm sure. Thank you for asking though." Guang spoke, hoping that they believed his white lie.

"You know that if anything is wrong or you need some cheering up, I'm here. So is Viktor, even if he isn't the best at it." Yuuri's grin was soft and welcoming, and it made Guang feel even the tiniest bit better about how he was feeling, knowing that if he really needed it, he had that support there.

"Thank you both. Honestly though, I'm just tired. Need more sleep, I think. I'll see you around!" The Chinese skater waved at the couple as he walked out the front doors of the ice rink, scurrying off before they could say anything else to him.

Why was Yuuri so perfect?

****

Something seemed wrong. Guang couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong. The atmosphere of the rink seemed different. Everyone seemed a bit calmer, a bit more... distant. There wasn't any laughter. It was strange, eerie so to say. It was only a second later he realised what was misisng. Yuuri. Yuuri was missing.

No, Yuuri was there. He was standing by the side of the rink with Viktor. At the same time, he wasn't there. He seemed to be soacing out, not listening to the conversation their little group was having. Guang watched on a sthe group laughed, Yuuri only laughing along to fake them into thinking he'd been listening the entire time. The group disbanded soon after and everyone went back to what they were doing. Viktor was smiling and grinning like his usual self, constantly hugging and fussing over his husband like there was no tomorrow. Was Viktor completely blind to how Yuuri was acting? He wasn't himself. Why could Guang see this, but Viktor not? Yuuri nodded and grinned at what Viktor said, but it wasn't true. His hugs weren't as tight and he seemed bothered over Viktor's constang fussing. The Japanese skater seemed almost relieved when Viktor ran off to talk to Chris only moments later. He seemed to relax a lot more, and the smile faded away. Guang frowned as he watched on, he watched how Yuuri slumped and rested his chin in his hand, staring at the ice. Something was on his ming, something was bothering him. It was strange to see Yuuri in such a way. Why could no one else see this? Why was Yuuri faking this happy facade?

"Yuuri!" Viktor's sing-songy voice echoed through the rink, catching his partners attention. "Come joing Chris and I, we're going out for tea!"

Yuuri forced a small smile as he looked at the two, before shaking his head. "No thanks, Viktor. I want to stay and practise a little more. Thank you for the invite though."

Viktor and Chris had no more to say to this and left in a hurry. Guang could see the sadness in Yuuri's actions as he watched the two friends walk away together, laughing and joking. He wanted to go, he did, but he knew he'd just be a downer to the two if he'd tagged along.

"Move out the way, pig!" Ah, no doubt who that was. Yuri Plisetsky, the Russian punk, always made himself and his distaste for Yuuri known. The blonde pushed past Yuuri and skated out into the middle of the ice, Mila and Otabek following in close pursuit. The three of them were quick to start practising. They weaved in between one another, adding in jumps and spins whenever they felt like it. Those three would be an unstoppable team, Guang thought. Yuri stopped skating and turned to face Yuuri, a dirty grin slapped on his face. "Where's Viktor? Got sick of you and left? Wouldn't be surprised. You're fat, boring, a waste of time. He deserves better!"

Guang winced at these words. What was Yurio's probelm with Yuuri, honestly? He was rude to others, but Yuuri was different. Yuuri striked a match in him which no one could put out. The two skaters behind him glanced at each other with this _look,_ and Guang knew that they disagreed with what Yuri had just said to Katsuki. Why didn't they speak up about this and stop him? Yuuri's face fell in a downcast frown at these words. It wasn't long before he dismissed himself, hoping that no one saw as he walked out to find the toilets.

The Chinese skater followed behind, wondering where Yuuri was off to in such a rush. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, his pace was fast and his head hung low, almost as if he was ashamed to be seen. Guang kept down low as he followed Katsuki, watching him disappear into the bathroom. He sighed and quietly followed behind, being careful not to make a sound, being careful not to be spotted. He stayed silent as he shut the door behind him, biting down on his bottom lip to calm his shaking nerves.

It seemed to be silent in the bathroom. A silence that was soon broken by a sharp sob. It sent a chill through Guang as he listened to Yuuri have a breakdown in the toilet stalls. He wondered in that moment whether Yuri ever thought about what he said and how it affeced the other skaters around him. Why did he have to be so unnecessarily cruel to Yuuri? He'd done nothing to hurt him and yet, all Yuri wanted was to hurt him. Guang had never heard Yuuri cry before, and it honestly broke his heart to hear him in such a way. He couldn't even imagine what he looked like right now, because in his mind, Yuuri had always been this perfect person who never had any problems, and never stopped smiling and being cheerful.

Guang silently slipped out the bathroom and rushed back to the rink, hoping nobody noticed he had disappeared off for no apparent reason. When he was walking back he bumped into the three skaters from earlier. A rage boiled up inside him, he couldn't just stand there and not have a go at Yuri.

"What's your problem with him?" Guang asked, trying to sound calm and respectful. He was sure it wasn't going to last. The Russian skater simply glared at him, before shoving past him with no answer. Otabek and Mila followed behind, giving an apologetic look to the skater. Why did they not speak up?! "Yuri, don't ignore my question!"

The three stopped and turned to face Guang. "My problem with him is the fact he exists. He should do everyone a favour and disappear." Yuri snarled, and Guang almost lost it right there and then.

"You are a nasty person Yuri. One day, you'll regret you ever said that about him." Guang spoke low and bland, watching as Yuri simply laughed him off and walked out the rink, heading out for lunch.

Why did they not speak up?

****

Where had the smiles gone? The laughter, the constant joy which radiated out from Yuuri? It had all dissolved into nothing, yet no one seemed to notice anything. The past month Yuuri had changed dramatically in such a short period of time, yet no one raised any concern about the Japanese man. No one seemed to notice that Yuuri was slowly _killing_ himself.

Guang could see this, so why could no one else? Yuuri wasn't himself anymore. He never smiled, always seemed to be on the verge of a break down. His eyes were dull, his skin had lost all colour, and he was skinny. Sickly skinny. Skating was difficult for him and he hadn't landed even the most simple of jumps for a while. He was slowly loosing faith in himself. Viktor was constantly sighing and getting annoyed at Yuuri's poor performance and Guang could see how much this was affecting Yuuri in his day to day life. It made Guang furious that no one else could see this. It was either that, or they chose to ignore it.

Yuuri was absent from the rink, and no one seemed to care. They were all buzzing about, doing their own thing. Guang sighed to himself, brushing his light brown fringe from his eyes. He scurried off to the toilet to take a break, to get away from the crowd. He walked in and there stood Yuuri, washing his hands at the sink. The Japanese skater glanced up at Guang, shaking his hands off before brushing past him and out back to the rink. That wasn't the part that shocked him; the part that shocked him were the marks on Yuuri's wrist. They weren't just any marks, they were self inflicted. Self harm. There was nothing else it could be. They didn't have a cat, that was for sure. It wasn't by accident, that was definite. There was now way Viktor would have done it to Yuuri, that would be sick. It was all too obvious. Guang almost felt his heart shatter at that. How does someone so perfect, feel so insecure? Why would he want to scar his skin with cuts and burns, yet still want to hurt more?

Even after this event, Guang kept it to himsef. He knew he should tell someone; Viktor, maybe? No, what if he already knew and was just ignoring it? Surely there was no way Yuuri could hide that from Viktor. But the again, the lights weren't alwags turned on upstairs in Viktor's head. Would Yuuri hate him for spilling such a dark secet? What if others heard them talking and spread it about, maybe even teasing Yuuri about it? He didn't want to risk such a thing.

"Guess who's back!" Oh no. "It's the king, bow down because JJ is home!"

"Shut up, you prick." Yuri sneered from the side, earning a glare from the Canadian skater. Otabek chuckled at Yuri's comment. Mila too.

"You're no king, JJ. Step down." Chris commented, giving JJ his most sarcastic grin he could muster up.

"I'm better than you all, you're just jealous of me." JJ laughed before stepping out onto the ice, somehow managing to stumble over his own feet and nearly falling as he reached the middle of the rink. The people watching burst into laughter, and JJ went just as red as his team jacket.

"He deserved it." Viktor grinned, looking down at Yuuri beside him before grabbing his wrist and tugging him towards the ice. Guang saw how Yuuri winced at the tight grip around where his injuries were, he could fee just how uncomfortable the skater was. Yuuri held himself, tugging his wrist from Viktor's grip. The Russian turned and raised a brow at Yuuri, wondering what he was doing. Yuuri held his wrist to his chest as the panic fell from his face, turning into a sour look of sorrow.

"Sorry, I don't really feel up to skating right now. I want to be alone." Yuuri spoke, almost as if he was scared at what Viktor's reaction would be to him saying this.

"Fine. I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, see you later."

Why didn't Viktor notice?

****

When Guang woke up that morning, he felt as if something was wrong. Like, incredibly wrong. He couldn't put his finger on what it could be. Yuuri had disappeared from the rink soon after he told Viktor he would see him later, yet no one seemed to bat an eyelid at this. Maybe that was it? It had been bugging him all night. It was the way Yuuri had spoke when he told Viktor he would see him later which sent an eerie chill straight through Guang. It was almost like he was saying ' _you'll see me later, but I won't see you_ '. Guang got ready that morning with a heavy feeling in his chest, like the world was pushing down on his lungs, constricting his airways. The rink seemed quiet when he arrived. Then again, he was one of the first to arrive there that morning. He sat down on the bench as he looked out at the untouched ice, feeling himself relax as he began to put his skates on. Soon enough everyone else started to come in. First was the trio, Mila, Yuri and Otabek. Next was JJ. Minami followed behind, skipping merrily over to the bench before sitting himself down. Minami hadn't been there when Guang was there much as he came at different times, but it was nice to see him. He always made Guang feel happy. Chris soon made himself known, flaunting himself as he sat down next to Minami, the two striking up a conversation seconds later. Guang stayed sat alone on his bench, making sure his skates were secure and comfy before grabbing his phone from his pocket. Leo hadn't yet texted back, but he knew he would soon. The chatter died down a little when Viktor walked into the room, by himself. They waited, no Yuuri. People seemed to realise something was wrong, and one by one, they started gathering around Viktor.

The Russian seemed empty; it wasn't Viktor. No smiles, all frowns. Suddenly Guang knew why he had been feeling such a way all night. He was just waiting for Viktor to comfirm what he was thinking. Guang was the last to join the small huddle around Viktor, his heart pounding in his chest as he stood next to Otabek.

"Viktor, where's Yuuri? Are you okay? Did you two have a fight?" Chris asked, taking a step towards his friend. Viktor didn't budge, didn't say a word in response. There was silence for a short while. Chris placed his hand in the dip of Viktor's back, giving him an encouraging smile.

"Last night, Yuuri... He tried to kill himself," Everyone was silent, but the look of shock on everyone's faces said it all. "I managed to stop him, but he's in hospital. He was in such a state and I never even realised." Viktor mumbled out, his expression staying low and blank. Everyone just looked at each other. No one knew what to do or what to say. It was obvious at that moment no one would be skating today. No one wanted to. The group disbanded one by one as people grabbed their stuff and left, teary eyes filling the room. Chris stayed by Viktor's side, holding him in a tight embrace. Viktor didn't cry though. He didn't budge. The Russian just let his friend hold him, comfort him, for what seemed like an eternity. Guang felt his heart drop in his chest. He couldn't stomach this feeling. What if he had just spoken up?

Yuri, Otabek and Mila sat in the park, surrounded by silence. None of them had anything to say. None of them knew what to say.

"It's all my fault," Yuri suddenly blurted out, catching the attention of his two friends. "It's all my fault."

Otabek sighed and rested a hand on Yuri's knee. "Yuri, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is, Beka. I was so rude to him. I insulted him every chance I got. I insulted his relationship with Viktor all because I was jealous! I made him feel like shit and I knew that but I couldn't stop myself because it made me fee better in mysef! I'm a monster, Beka, I'm a monster! Yuuri tried to kill himself, and it's all my fault..." Yuri was crying by the time he finished his rant. The teats streamed down his face in a waterfall which would not stop. Otabek pulled him into his side and held him close, letting the Russian teen sob out his sorrow. Mila was crying too, and Otabek didn't want to cry, but for some reason he was. They were all crying, all trying to comfort each other. Otabek tried to put on a strong facade for the two, but his weaker side was shining through.

"You are no monster, Yuri," Otabek wiped the tears from Yuri's flushed cheeks, forcing a solemn smile at his friend before wiping his own tears away. "I should've stopped you from saying all those things, I knew it was wrong and yet I let you continue to do that to him. You aren't to blame, Yura."

"Believe me Yuri, you aren't to blame. We never stopped you." Mila added in, trying her best to keep her voice from being shaky. It was no use in hiding it though. The three sat huddled together on the park bench as they silently cried together, wondering if they had changed their actions, would Yuuri be okay right now?

JJ sat alone in his hotel room, sat in an arm chair as he stared out over the city. Was it his fault that Yuuri tried to commit suicide? Maybe if he had stopped being such a self centred prick and stopped showing off, Yuuri would be happy. Maybe if for once, he had just complimented Yuuri on how amazing his skating was, maybe he would be okay. JJ blamed himself entirely. He believed that he made Yuuri doubt himself as a skater; no, as a person. He made Yuuri feel so bad about himself that he just couldn't handle it anymore. The guilt JJ felt was like no other.

Minami sat alone in the lobby of the hotel, thinking. Thinking about how this was all his fault. He put an intense amount of pressure on Yuuri to be perfect. He would never leave him alone and was always all over him, obsessing over everything he did. It made Yuuri feel trapped, like he could only be perfect and that he wasn't allowed to make any mistakes whatsoever. If Minami had just taken a step back from him and let him know that making mistakes was okay, Yuuri would still be smiley and happy like he used to be.

Chris and Viktor stayed at the rink, sat next to each other on the benches. They were both silent. Chris let out a deep sigh as he sat himself up straight, turning himself slightly to look at his friend sat next to him.

"Viktor, this is all my fault." Chris breathed out, catching Viktor's attention.

"Chris, how is it your fault?" Viktor asked, genuinely shocked at why his friend though this.

"I was always so flirty to you. I always interrupted you and Yuuri. I always stole you away from Yuuri at any given moment. Gosh, he probably doubted that you loved him because of me. I made him doubt himsef." Chris shook his head as he let out another long sigh.

"Chris, no. It's my fault. I didn't even notice Yuuri was feeling that way. I didn't notice that he was losing weight, or even that he was harming himself. I pushed him so far into stress and perfection. Do you know how many petty arguments we had?" Chris's brows were furrowed as he waited for Viktor to continue. "Too many, and I caused them all. I never stopped to ask if he was okay or if he needed a break. I pushed him and pushed him and he broke. He fell. He shattered. Oh my god, I'm the reason my husband tried to kill himself." Viktor hid his face in his hands as he took in a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears from falling. Chris simply hugged him, not knowing what he could say to cheer Viktor up in this sort of situation.

"Vicky, you can't blame yourself for Yuuri doing this. None of us can. It was his choice." Chris mumbled, hoping it would cheer Viktor up.

Viktor grinned at the stupid nick name Chris used for him, and looked at Chris with a thankful smile. "I hate that nickname."

"Sure you do."

The one who blamed himself most though was Guang. He saw it the whole time and yet he never spoke up. He never talked to Viktor about it, never talked to Yuuri about it. If he had just said something then everything would be okay now. Everything would be happy and dandy just as it used to be. Yuuri would be laughing and smiling and falling in Viktor's arms and cheering everyone up and just _loving life._ Why did he have to be so stupid as to kee it to himself? What if Yuuri knew that he knew? What if he doubted that anyone really cared at all because Guang did _nothing?_

****

Going home that night to an empty house was hard for Viktor. He still half expected to be greeted by Yuuri when he came in, and still half expected to find Yuuri dead on the bathroom floor. He was so thankful that he had walked in on Yuuri struggling to open the cap to the full bottle of sleeping pills. Lord knows what Viktor would've done if he had been any later. The thought of finding his husband dead on the floor with no explanation made his heart shrivel. The vivid memories of last night hauned him, replayed in his mind over and over.

He'd walked into a quiet house and that was strange enough, and then finding Yuuri perched on the edge of the bath with the pill bottle in his hand, tears streaming down his face and soaking his legs as his shaky hands struggled with the cap was even stranger. Viktor had never been physical with Yuuri in such a way, and he was glad in that moment that he was some what bigger than Yuuri and managed to tackle the bottle from his hand. He'll never forget it when he turned back around after placing the pill bottle up in the medicine cabinet, only to see Yuuri leant back against the bath, silently sobbing into his own hands. Viktor had never felt such an intense pain in his life. All he could do was sit next to Yuuri and hold him in his arms as he cried. As they both cried.

That day will stay for him forever and always. As he climbed into bed that night and slipped his hand under the pillow, he felt something. When he pulled it out, he saw it was a letter. He knew what it was, and he unfolded it. Yuuri's handwriting had always been so neat, but this was almost unreadable. Viktor sat back against the headboard of the bed as he began to read the note, his heart racing in his chest.

' _Dear everyone,_

_Viktor, Yuri, Otabek, JJ, Minami, Chris, Guang, everyone who cares. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that it had to come to this. I'm sorry it had to come to me ending my life for me to feel happiness again. I'm sorry, it's selfish I know. But I needed to escape, from this world and from my mind._

_Let me all remind you that none of you are to blame yourselves for this. No one. It's my head; my thoughts. I haven't been okay for years now and I wasn't getting any better. I tried to get help and it didn't work for me. I tried to push those thoughts back and fake happiness but it only made me worse. I didn't want to bother anyone with how I felt._

_I love you all so much. You all made living worth while, but I can't keep going on like this. I can't keep living a life where I'm faking how I feel around everyone. It's exhausting. I want everyone to continue on living your lives as you did when I was alive. Don't dwell on me. Forget I existed, please. Especially you Viktor. Move on from me. Let yourself love again. Let yourself move on. It's for the best._

_Minami, keep trying your best. I am so so proud of you. Yuri, believe in yourself. Don't doubt yourself for one minute. Otabek, look after Yuri for me. He puts up this strong facade but really, he needs that someone there for him. Chris, look after Viktor for me. He needs you more than ever at this time. JJ, don't let your confidence turn into cockiness. I want you to do well. Guang, thank you. Thank you for just being so amazing. You're so talented and you don't see this. Keep on working. Everyone else, please keep smiling. For me._

_It's time to say my final goodbyes now. This is the last piece of me anyone will ever have. I wish you all luck in the future. Remember, stay smiling and happy. Please don't let yourself get like I did. Speak to someone about it. Once again, I love you all, with every inch of my being._

_Goodbye,_  
 _Yuuri Katsuki_.'

Viktor hadn't realised he was crying until the warm tears hit the paper and soaked through, distoring the ink of the page. He hugged the letter close to his chest as he let out a harsh sob, hating himself so much for not seeing just how badly Yuuri was coping with life. He had failed Yuuri. How could Yuuri ever forgive him after this? That night, Viktor fell asleep to his own sobs and his dark thoughts. 

****

Viktor hated the hospital. It was always noisy, even in the quietest of places. He could hear his heart beat as he almost ran down the corridor to where Yuuri's room was. The hospital had told him that it was okay for him to come and see him that morning, as he was stable and had everything he needed. Viktor was nervous; what would Yuuri say to him when he saw him? Would he still love him? Would he tell him to leave? Now was the time to find out.

Viktor opened the door slowly and held his breath as he entered the room. Yuuri looked up from the book he was reading and his lip upturned into a gorgeous smile as soon as he laid eyes on Viktor. The Russian was quick to sit himself down on the edge of the bed, being a careful not to knock any of the wires currently attached to his husband. He looked awful. Yet at the same time, he was glowing.

They said nothing to each other, Yuuri just watched as Viktor pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. Yuuri's grin fell as he realised what it was. He took it and placed it on the sheet in front of him, before reaching out and pulling Viktor into a tight embrace. The two of them both started to cry, over whelmed by so many different emotions at once that it was hard to decipher what they were as individuals.

"Viktor, I'm so so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Yuuri sobbed out, gripping the fabric of Viktor's coat he still had on in his fingers, letting himself fall apart in Viktor's arms.

"Don't apologise Yuuri, you have nothing to be sorry for. I have to apologise for being such a fool." Viktor chimed in, tears streaming down his face as he pulled back from Yuuri to sadly grin at him, wiping away his husbands tears with his thumbs.

"I didn't tell you, I was too scared you'd hate me."

"I never even noticed, Yuuri. I'm such a terrible husband." Viktor shook his head slightly, not wanting to be reminded of the events of the previous few days.

"I love you, so so much."

"I love you too."

****

It had barely been a month and it was time for Yuuri to go back to the rink for the last part of this camp. He was excited to go back and see everyone, but at the same time incredibly nervous. What if they all hated him? Viktor had assured him that was not the case and that everyone was so excited to see his return again.

Walking into the rink was a weird feeling for Yuuri. He hadn't been here in ages, yet it felt just like home. He felt like he belonged. The Japanese skater stopped in his tracks as soon as he stepped through the front doors. Viktor was close behind to make shre that he was okay with this, and rested a comforting hand in the dip of his husbands back.

"We can go if you don't feel like you can do this?" Viktor mumbled, watching as Yuuri shook his head ever so slightly and took a deep breath, managing a small smile as Viktor and him walked to the ice rink.

As usual, everyone was there. Or atleast the usual people. It took a while for people to realise that Yuuri was back. The couple stood by the edge of the ice and watched as their friends laughed and skated around the rink. Yurio stopped skating and laughed as he leant on Otabek for support, the two interlocking fingers as theh smiled at each other with that certain look. Yuuri knew that look all too well.

"What did I miss?" Yuuri whispered to Viktor, raising a brow at his husband. Viktor chuckled and look at the two in the middle of the rink, fooling around and having fun together.

"A certain someone realised that he was madly in love with his best friend, and something beautiful happened." Viktor grinned, wrapping an arm around Yuuri's waist and pulling him in close to his side, before pressing a gentle and loving kiss to his partner's cheek.

A sudden gasp caught their attention, as did it everyone elses. "Yuuri!"

The blonde Russian skater was quick to dash towards the edge of the rink and off the ice, before running over to Yuuri and jumping into his arms, almost knocking him over. It shocked Yuuri if he was to be completely honest, but it felt nice. He hugged Yurio back like there was no tomorrow. It was then he realised just how much everyone here meant to him, and how much he had an undying love for each and everyone of them. Everyone else was now off the ice too, gathering around Viktor and Yuuri. Yurio still had a tight grip around Yuuri, but when be pulled back, Yuuri was shocked to see that the Russian in his arms had been crying.

"Yurio, why are you-"

"Shut up, asshole. I missed you. I'm so sorry!" Yurio exclaimed, brightly smiling as he wiped the tears from his cheeks, swiftly hugging Yuuri again before he could get in another word.

"It's real good to see you back, Yuuri." JJ chimed in, arms crossed over his chest as he leant back against the barrier of the rink, grinning.

"Thank you, JJ." Yuuri grinned and nodded towards the Canadian skater.

"We all missed you!" Minami squealed, quickly calming himself when he realised he was getting very over excited. Yuuri chuckled and looked around the group. He was loved, and he was cared for. This was his family. Every single one of them.

"I missed you guys too. I'm so sorry for putting you all through what I did. It won't happen again."

"No need to apologise Yuuri, none of us could have imagined what you were going through. We're just all so glad that you're alive." Otabek smiled, not so secretly wrapping his arms around Yuri's waist and tugging him close into his side.

"Once again, thank you again. Please, go back to skating, don't let me interrupt you. I can talk to you all later." Yuuri grinned, and everyone nodded and went back to skating, the room filling with an over whelming sense of joy. Yuuri grinned to himself as he watched everyone skate around like actual idiots.

"Yuuri." A small, quiet voice caught his attention from the side of him. He turned and saw Guang standing there.

"Guang, is everything okay?" Yuuri asked, smiling reassuringly as he looked at the Chinese skater.

"I'm just... Sorry. I knew all along, yet I didn'g talk to you or anyone else and I could've helped you but I didn't and-"

"Guang, thank you. Please don't apologise. You're a truly amazing person, please do not doubt yourself for one second." Yuuri interrupted the babbling skater, letting himself laugh as he finished his sentence. Guang relaxed at these words and smiled so bright, he had never been happier in his entire life.

****

Yuuri looked up at the afternoon sky, taking in a deep breath as he smiled to himself. It was a gorgeous day, and Yuuri could not be more thankful that he was alive right now. He was so glad that Viktor had found him.

Footsteps behind him interrupted his trail of thought he glanced over his shoulder and saw Guang and Viktor standing behind him, fond smiles on their faces as they watched him.

"Yuuri, look around at how lucky you are you be alive right now." Viktor grinned wrapping his arms around Yuuri's waist and hooking his chin over his shoulder, holding hi husband in a tight and loving embrace. Guang stood next to the two, smiling to himself.

"Get a room." Guang joked, causing the couple to laugh. The three laughed for a short while before Yuuri pulled out a piece of scrumbled paper from his pocket and proceeded to tear it to shreds in his hands. Seconds later he let the pieces drift off in the soft breeze that day provided.

"I'm proud of you. So proud." Viktor mumbled, pressing a kiss to his husbands cheek. Yuuri blushed and leant back into Viktor slightly, feeling content with his life for once. He could not ask for anything more.  This was how he wanted to stay forever. He finally felt happy, like he belonged in this world.

Why didn't he see this before?


	15. Hired (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek is a hitman. He's payed to kill. One day, someone pays him a large sum of money to kill of Yuri Plisetsky. Otabek never expected to catch feelings for someone he was meant to kill. (Trigger warning for depressing stuff, mention of self harm, suicide mentions, death, murder etc. Please don't read if you get triggered.)

Another day, another subject, another murder. Otabek Altin had been a hit man for just over 2 years now and at only 20 years old, he was the best in the business. Never once had he been caught or even remotely suspected of murdering someone. Clients payed a lot to have him work his magic and dispose of those that they wanted dead. He lived a life a luxury, so to say. Even then, he still stayed humble.

It was a Monday morning, early hours. The sun had just about risen and was shining through his window. Of course, he was ready to go. Today he'd been assigned to kill an 18 year old man, for no other reason simply than the person who requested him dead didn't like him much. Otabek personally hated jobs like this; shouldn't you have a motive for killing someone? Why would you just want them gone for not liking them much? Another thing he hated was having to kill young people. They barely got the chance to live and they're killed off and no one even bats an eyelid.

He'd been sent a description and a somewhat blurry picture of the target. They said that he liked to wonder around the streets quite often, especially when he was by himself. He seemed lonely.

Otabek looked down at his phone to read the description of thos man he'd been payed to kill.

_Name: Yuri Plisetsky_   
_Nationality: Russian_   
_Age: 18_   
_Sex: Male_   
_Known facts: Like's to wonder the streets alone, especially Castle Park near the cherry blossoms._   
_Looks: Around 5'5, shoulder length blonde hair, green eyes._

It seemed easy enough, the blurry photo provided wasn't much help but Otabek had a vague idea on what this guy looked like. Today was going to be an exhausting one.

****

There he was, Yuri Plisetsky, sat on the park bench minding his own business. Otabek lingered a few feet away on another park bench, ready to strike once the time was right. He was the equivalent to a bird of prey, stalking its latest meal and waiting for the right time to snatch it up. Yuri seemed to be taking in his surrounds, hands dug deep in his pockets as he watched people pass by him. Otabek was acting casual, pretending he was on his phone looking at social media. All of a sudden, Yuri got up from the park bench and started walking down the path. Otabek noticed this and waited till Yuri had passed him to rise, following behind the blonde ahead of him. He seemed like an easy target, it wouldn't be hard to make this look like it was an accident.

Yuri stopped in his tracks and looked up at the tree above him, frowning to himself. It seemed as though he sighed, his shoulder rising before slumping back down. What was with this guy? Yuri turned to glance behind him, and Otabek stopped in his tracks. Why? Well, simply because he'd never seen someone so breath taking. The way his pale blonde hair shaped his face, gentle freckles dotted around his nose, eyes that of a soldier. Fuck, Otabek should not be getting feelings like this for a _target._

But he was.

Otabek shook his head and continued walking. He couldn't do this, he couldn't kill the most beautiful human he'd ever laid eyes on. Otabek had never even considered that he may like guys that way, but here he was, already head over heels for someone he had to brutally murder.

What sort of vile luck was this?

He'd not been looking where he'd been going, and walked straight into someone, knocking then to the ground. The person hit the ground with a small ' _oof!_ ', snapping Otabek from his daze. He'd walked into none other than Yuri, knocking the poor guy to his feet. Now it was usual that hitmen did not talk to their targets unless needed, but Otabek didn't want to consider him as a target anymore.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Otabek rushed out, holding his hand out for Yuri to take. The blonde nodded as he took hold of Otabek's hand, pulling himself to his feet with a small groan, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"Yes, I'm fine. I must've been in your way." Shit, his voice was sweeter than sugar, and it was dragging him down in this dark abyss of stupid feelings even more than before.

"No, I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you sure that you're alright?" Otabek raised a brow as Yuri dusted himself off, shooting an assuring grin to Otabek as he nodded his head.

"Yes, honestly. No damage done." Yuri grinned, tucking his hair behind his ear with a laugh. _Fucking asshole._

"Uh, I'm Otabek," He stuck his hand out towards Yuri for him to shake it. Yuri was surprised at first, but shook his hand in return. "Otabek Altin."

"Otabek Altin, huh? That's a nice name!" Yuri replied, the two dropping each others hands, Yuri digging his back into his pockets. "I'm Yuri Plisetsky."

Otabek had to resist the urge to tell him he knew, and that he knew almost everything about him. "Can I get you a coffee or something? As an apology for knocking you over."

The Russian man grinned and blushed, nodding his head. "Yes, that sounds lovely."

The two walked together to the nearest coffee shop, it was a quaint little place but the service there was beyond excellent. The coffee shop was named 'Eros and Agape'. The owner had changed it's name to that a few years ago. Something about it being fun to say and all. Otabek didn't really understand it.

"What do you want? I'll order and you can go and grab us a booth." Otabek grinned down at Yuri, watching how the smaller man nodded and looked up at the small chalkboard above the counter. It took him a second to decide.

"I'll have a Mocha, if that's alright. Thank you for this, by the way." His grin was fucking contagious and Otabek hated it because here he was, grinning at this man like an absolute idiot. He watched as Yuri jogged over to a small window booth and sat himself down, pulling his phone from his pocket. Otabek swiftly ordered the two drinks and then made his way over to Yuri, sitting himself opposite him and placing his cup down in front of him.

"One Mocha for Yuri Plisetsky." Otabek teased, watching Yuri playfully smirk and raise an eyebrow at him.

"Already on a full name basis, are we?" Yuri chuckled, gently pulling the steaming cup towards him more.

"Well, yes. Though it usually is first name basis." Otabek replied, holding his hands around the paper cup full of coffee. It was only just becoming spring, but the weather was still crisp in the mornings.

"Tell me about yourself then, mysterious man who knocked me over."

Otabek panicked for a second; he couldn't just blurt out that he was a hitman and was payed to kill Yuri. That would ruin everything. "Uh, well, I work in the police force, so to say. I deal with finding out how people were killed. Gory stuff. I'm 20, I have a little sister, I moved to the UK from Kazakhstan a few years back. Anything else you wish to know?"

"You sure do sound interesting. What are your hobbies?" Yuri asked, taking a sip from his cup before placing it back down. He never broke eye contact with Otabek and he cursed him for it.

"I like to go to clubs and DJ sometimes. I'm not great but hey, people are usually too drunk to notice anyways," He shrugged, earning an honest laugh from the blonde sat opposite him. "What about you?"

"Hm, where do I start?" Yuri had a questioning look on his face, and Otabek knew that he was about to spill a lot of information about himself. "I'm originally from Russia. I came here about two years ago, after my grandpa died. My mother and father want nothing to do with me quite frankly, so as a 16 year old I moved to the UK to start a new life, with the help of others. It wasn't easy but I managed. But I was glad to leave that country."

"Why's that?" Otabek questioned, and Yuri's face _dropped._ Shit, was that a bad thing to ask?

"People like me aren't exactly welcomed there." He mumbled leaning back against his seat, taking another sip of his drink.

"I'm lost," Otabek honestly answered, leankng forward slightly. Why wasn't he welcomed in his own country. The Russian mumbled soemthing under his breath but Otabek didn't quite catch it. "You can trust me, Yuri."

"I'm... I like men." He blurted out, thankfully quiet enough so only Otabek could here. _Holy fuck._ Otabek's heart fluttered even more at this fact; maybe he had a chance with Yuri after all?

"That's okay. It's completely okay. It's more than okay." Otabek grinned at Yuri, the man opposite him lighting up, all fear draining from him.

"Well, yeah. I spend a lot of time alone, I don't really have many friends if I'm honest. I get lonely, but that's okay. There's other things to know about me but now isn't the time to talk about them." He finished, and Otabek was hooked. He'd fallen so deep that quite frankly, he couldn't be bothered to even try hauling himself out.

The two finished up their coffees before heading out the coffee shop. They stopped just outside the doors and turned to one another, both grinning.

"Thank you, I enjoyed myself." Yuri thanked Otabek, nodding his head slightly as a sign of thankfulness. It was a habit Yuri had whenever he thanked someone.

"No need to thank me Yuri. I enjoyed myself too," A silence fell between the two, but it wasn't awkward, it was rather comfortable. Otabek slid his phone out from his pocket and handed it to Yuri with a grin. "Could I get your number, maybe?"

Yuri giggled a little, the sound ringing through Otabek's ears. He took the phone and quickly typed his number in before handing it back. Otabek texted the number Yuri had typed in to check it was right, and thankfully it was. Yuri's phone dinged in his pocket, and he took it out to check. He added Otabek to his contacts within seconds.

"I'll see you around maybe?" Yuri's smile was causing Otabek's brain to go into overdrive, he could bareky function. What? Would you be able to function if you had an angel staring directly at you?

"Yeah, that sound's great. Once again, I'm sorry for knocking you over, Yuri. My mistake entirely."

"Stop apologising, Otabek. It was worth it."

"Oh, shut up."

****

Otabek and Yuri texted throughout thag day, somewhat getting to know each other even beter over text. At this point in time the Kazakh was really questioning whether he should message his client and tell him that he wouldn't be able to complete the job, that Yuri moved out of town or something and wasn't able to be located. He would return every single pound that he was payed. As long as he didn't have to hurt Yuri.

That was the last thing he wanted to do.

His phone vibrated to the side of him, but it wasn't a text this time, it was a call. Yuri's caller ID flashed up on the screen, and Otabek frowned. Why would Yuri be calling him when they had been texting just fine a minute ago? Why is he calling when they only just met? He picked up anyway, wondering what this strange man was calling him about. And at such a late hour too.

"Yuri, what's up?" Otabek spoke, hoping that his nerves didn't make themself known in how he spoke.

" _Otabek, I fucked up, I fucked up!_ " It was no doubt Yuri was in a panic, and it scared Otabek. It made his beart jump in his chest and immediately start beating rapidly.

"Woah, Yuri. Breath, why've you fucked up?" Otabek never expected to hear this innocent looking being to swear, but he just proved him oh so wrong.

" _Blood, everywhere, help!_ " Blood everywhere? That didn't sound good. Maybe he'd hurt himself whilst doing something and needed serious medical attention. Why call Otabek first though? Wasn't the emergency services the go to place?

"Yuri, yuri, listen. I need you to calm down and tell me where you live so I can get to you and help you."

****

Was it some sort of sheer luck that Yuri lived less than a ten minute drive from Otabek? It was a small town after all, but Otabek didn't expect this. He knew exactly where to get to Yuri's place. It was small but still rather nice. He must be paying quite a bit for this place. He parked the car on the side walk and rushed out the car, locking it behind him. He raced up to the door, remembering Yuri had told him he left it slightly ajar so he could get in. The house was dark but he could see a faint light on at the top of the stairs, so he followed it, hoping Yuri would be there. On the steps leading up the stairs were a few drops of blood. Holy shit, he must be bleeding a lot to have it dripping like this. That was the scariest part about this.

The bathroom door was open and he could hear faint sobbing coming it, the light coming from the open door. He rushed over and had to take a step back at the sight before him. Blood covered the pale cream tiles, and Yuri's lap and stomach. His left arm was covered with a thick pink towel and tears were staining his flushed cheeks.

"Jesus Yuri, are you crazy?!" Otabek spoke, kneeling down next to Yuri, who was sat on the edge of the bath tub. The blonde looked down at with the the most pitiful of looks, and Otabek's heart sunk. This was no accident. This was self inflicted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I didn't." Yuri could barely speak with how much he was sobbing, and he was holding this towel to his wrist arm like there was no tomorrow.

At this rate there might not be.

"Yuri, breathe for me, okay? Gosh, this is what you meant when you said you couldn't tell me, huh?" Otabek tried to lighten up the situation as best he could, managing to get Yuri smiling, even it was tearful. "I'm here now, everything will be okay."

"Am I going to die?" Yuri asked, like he was a child. He didn't really sound panicked or scared, but almost... calm.

"No, Yuri. I won't allow that. I won't alllw you to die. Not today. I promise you." Otabek tried to give Yuri his best reassuring smile. Otabek managed to coax the towel from Yuri's arm, and it didn't look as bad as he'd expected it. The bleeding seemed to have subsided, the pressure Yuri had on it with the towel cleary having helped it. A sigh left his lips as he cleaned Yuri up, and the bathroom too. Once his arm was clean he found some bandages and secured them around Yuri' arm, hoping it'd be enough for now. If it got any worse, Yuri would need to see a doctor.

"I'm sorry for all this. We only just met and I put you through all that." Yuri sounded upset, disappointed in himself.

"Yuri, it's not problem. I'm glad you called, I want to kee you safe at all costs. Yes, wemay have only meg today, but that doesn't stop me from caring. You're special, Plisetsky." The Russian smiled thankfully up at Otabek, before glancing at the bandage around his arm.

"I've never really been one to scar, but this," He let out a sigh. "This is different, huh?"

"Who knows, you may get lucky." The older man shrugged and held a hand out to Yuri, pulling him up from where he was perched on the edge of the bath.

"Hey, I know this is a lot of me to ask, but can you stay tonight, or something? I don't want to be alone but you don't have to stay." Yuri blushed as he spoke, tucking his pale blonde hair behind his ear. Otabek smiled fondly down at him as he spoke, feeling his heart swell.

"Sure, I'll stay."

****

A month into their friendship and everything seemed almost perfect. They regularly met for coffee dates, which is what Otabek had accidentally referred to them as one night when asking Yuri about them. That's what they called them from then on, but they were nothing more than friends. Otabek was honestly too scared to turn it into anything else because Yuri was meant to be his target. Otabek had been in contact with the client that wished him dead and had tried everything to persuade him to change his mind, but nothing worked. He was told that if Yuri wasn't dead by the end of June, which was less than two months away, both him and Yuri would be dead.

A hunter, turned into the hunted.

But Otabek refused to bring any harm to Yuri, no matter what it cost. If he ended up dead and Yuri managed to live, that was all that mattered. Yuri was a lost soul that needed to find his place in the world. Nothing be had done deserved to get him killed.

Otabek was definitely head over heels, truly, madly, stupidly and deeply in love with Yuri. Shit, he had been from day one and he knew it. It seemed that his feeling were not returned, however. This he could live with, as long as it kept Yuri safe.

"Hey, Altin, you with me?" Yuri spoke loud as be clicked his fingers in front of Otabek's face, snapping him back to real life. They were currently at Yuri's house, and Yuri was sat on the counter top.

"Sorry, fazed out for a second. What did you say?" Otabek shook his head, running a hand through his hair to push it back out his face. Yuri shrugged and sighed.

"It's not important." Yuri mumbled, swinging his legs from where he sat. The older man frowned at this as squeezed himself between Yuri's legs, looking up at the Russian.

"What's bothering you? Are you feeling down again? Do you need anything?" Otabek asked, raising a brow when Yuri started to giggle quietly.

"You're funny when you're concerned. I was just wondering if we could possibly watch a movie together? I have popcorn and stuff, we can stay in. If I'm honest, I just want to spend time with you. You make me happy." Yuri admitted, his cheeks flushing a bright pink. Otabek went wide eyed and swiftly hid his face in Yuri's shoulder, letting out a long groan.

He pulled back from his hiding spot a few seconds later and smiled up at Yuri, nodding. "Yes, Yuri, that sounds absolutely brilliant. I would love that."

****

It haunted Otabek every single waking day that he was hired to kill Yuri. June crept closer and closer with every second, every second his life and Yuri's was coming closer to an end. He was honestly terrified. It seemed best that he tell Yuri, or that he just completely disappear and forget about him. The thing is, he knew if he did that, he would see Yuri's name pop up on the news, explaining that he had been murdered. That thought stayed with Otabek. Damnit, why did this have to happen to him?

Yuri was currently fast asleep on his lap, when his phone buzzed on the arm of the sofa, causing Otabek to startle. He answered it in a hushed tone, careful not to wake Yuri.

"Listen, I told you-"

" _I know you won't kill him. I've decided to rethink my offer._ "

Otabek blinked. What? What was this crazy bastard about to offer Otabek?

"Okay, I'm listening."

" _Don't kill him. Keep him alive. You were right when you said he has done nothing. He deserves to live. But, I want him hurt. Not physically, but mentally._ "

"What?"

" _Hurt him. Break his heart. Ruin him. That way you'll be able to keep him alive, since you seem to care so much for the brat._ "

The other end went dead. What had just happened? Otabek was told that he didn't have to kill Yuri, but he had to hurt him? That was far worse than murder, ruinkng someones life in such a way and letting them live. Otabek considered pulling a Romeo and Juliet with Yuri at this point on time, it seemed like the only possible answer. He'd have to tell Yuri sooner or later, correct? He couldn't hide it forever, right? Damn it, Otabek wanted no more pain to come to Yuri, he had already been through enough in his short life. There was one way to end this contract once and for all, he just hoped this would all work out according to plan.

He went into his text messages and opened the conversation he had been having with his client. This was a dangerous thing to play at, but if it meant both him and Yuri were freed from this ball and chain, it'd be worth it. If Otabek could some how get to meet up with his client and trick him into thinking they were to talk about ways to hurt Yuri, he could take advantage of the situation and dispose of him. That was the only possible way a contract could be ended. Thankfully the client fell for the plan, and agreed to meet up at a nearby club. Otabek knew exactly where it was.

He carefull slipped out from under Yuri, being careful not to wake the sleeping man on his lap. He smiled fondly down at Yuri as he knelt down next to him, brushing his hair back out his face with a sigh. "I'll keep you safe, no matter what."

With that he grabbed his jacket which was handging on the banister of the stairs and left, hoping that Yuri wouldn't wake until he got back. He unlocked his car and hopped in, swiftly starting the engine before pulling away from the side walk and speeding off to where the club was. It was a ten minute drive at most, but Otabek got there in five due to his high speed. Anger and rage bubbled deep in his stomach as he approached the club. The boot of his car held plenty of weapons which he had used to eliminate previous targets. Luckily they were all hidden in a secret apartment, so it never brought any concern to anyone. Eventually he pulled into the back parking lot of the club and parked his car up, exiting it within seconds after. He walked to the back of his car and looked around the area before opening the boot, along with the secret compartment. He wondered what he should use on this guy. Something that made him suffer and die slowly and painfully. Perhaps a knife would be best for this job.

Job.

It wasn't a job this time, it was straight up murder. He wasn't being paid to do this, he wanted to do it. This was out of pure anger. He promised to himself this would be the last time he ever killed someone. He was done with this life style.

He grabbed what he needed before slamming the boot shut and walking over to the place where he had arranged to meet his client. He rounded a corner and there his client stood, leaning against the wall, waiting. It took everything in Otabek not to throw himself at this guy and kill him right there and then.

The figure turned to Otabek and even in the dim lighting Otabek could tell he had a dirty grin slapped on his face.

"Otabek, yes?" The voice sounded even more sinister in real life.

"That's me." He replied, trying to contain his anger. He wanted thisnto go smooth, with no struggle.

"Now, about Yuri-"

"I won't do it. I won't bring any sort of harm to him. No matter what you say. He doesn't deserve it." Otabek interrupted the guy, wanting to get this over and done with quickly.

"Oh?"

"I won't ever bring harm to someone who means the world to me. I refuse to do it. I don't care what you say!" Otabek yelled, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He could do it now, just lunge forward and lodge the knife straight in between his ribs.

"Oh, well you see, that is a problem now."

"What did he do so wrong to you?" Otabek asked. Clients usually had a strong reason for wanting someone dead, but this guy had simply told him that he just disliked Yuri.

"He tore my family to pieces because of who he was and the life style he chose to live. He's disgusting, an absolute faggot. How dare he chose such a-"

Otabek couldn't bear to hear it anymore, how dare someone talk about Yuri in such a way. He took a deep breath and he stepped towards the man and pinned him up against the wall, lodging the knife deep into his stomach without a moments hesitation. His face twisted in utter pain as he realised what had just happened to him, and he looked down at the knife stuck in his flesh. Otabek kept the knife there for a little while before ripping it back out, causing the other man to let out a weakened shriek at the severe pain.

Otabek stepped back to admire his work, watching the thick blood begin to pour form the mans stomach as he fell to the ground. He glanced at the blood covered knife in his hand, watching how the thick crimson liquid ran down his hand and soaked into his sleeve. He grinned at himself, before looking down at the man on the floor, who was clutching onto his wound for dear life. The Kazakh knelt down next to his victim and chuckled darkly as he struggled, looking up at Otabek with desperate pleading eyes.

"Don't ever talk shit about Yuri like that." He spat, almost toppling over when the man managed to reach up grab Otabek's white shirt, staining it with blood.

"You'll pay for this!" He managed to force out, before groaning in pain and dropping back into his fetal position. Otabek didn't feel like stayong around until he bled out, so he promptly left, throwing the knife in the boot of the car before heading back to Yuri's.

****

Yuri had woken a few minutes after Otabek had left his house, and he wondered where on earth he had gotten to. He'd tried texting him and calling him, but nothing. It wasn't like Otabek to just disappear out of the blue in such a manner and it made Yuri panic. What if Otabek got sick of him already? I mean, who wouldn't? Everyone else in his life had.

He was sat on his couch, chin in the palm of his hand as he waited. Waited for something to happen. It was really late and he didn't know why he was bothering to stay up. He just hoped that Otabek would come back soon.

No sooner than he wished that, he heard a knock on his door. Yuri scurried to his feet and jogged over to the door, opening it and being surprised to see Otabek there. Otabek pushed straight past him and into the kitchen, seeming to be in a mood. Yuri frowned and followed after him, gasping when he saw Otabek washing dried blood off of his hands. Otabek glanced over to Yuri, and the look on his face was sorrowful, yet also blank. Itw as scary.

"Otabek, what happened?" Yuri asked, taking a step towards Otabek. He hand his hands rested over his chest, like one does when they have been shocked. The older man simply shook his head and turned to face Yuri. A hand instantly covered Yuri's mouth as he gasped again, looking ath the amount of blood soaking his white shirt. There was also dried blood on his jacket sleeve. "Otabek, answer me!"

"I just got in a fight." He shrugged off Yuri's concern, not wanting to admit that he had just stabbed someone and left them to die out the back of a club.

"I know you're lying. Otabek, please," Yuri was already getting tearful; in all honesty, he was terrified. He knew that a fight couldn't cause this much blood. "Please, what did you do?"

Otabek sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair, refusing to look Yuri in the eye as he confessed. "Fuck, Yuri. This is so hard for me to tell you. Where do I start? I'm a hitman. No, I was a hitman. I'm not anymore."

"Wait, what?!"

"I was hired to kill you. But as soon as I saw you I knew I couldn't do it. I was quite honestly hooked on you since the moment I laid eyes on you." Otabek rubbed the back of his neck nervously, watchong as Yuri's face twisted in confusion.

"You mean all this time, you've been getting close to me so you could kill me?" Yuri sounded completely and utterly _heartbroken._ He felt betrayed.

"No, Yuri! Not at all! I told the person I refused to hurt you in anyway. I've been keeping you alive, for God's sake!" The Kazakh started to panic as he saw Yuri begin to cry; no, it wasn't really crying, because he wasn't sobbing. There were just tears running down his cheeks as he stared at Otabek, eye's thick with betrayal.

"Otabek, I-"

"I met up with the guy who asked me to kill you tonight. He's dead. I killed him. I'm so sorry."

Yuri had to lean against the door frame to stop himself from tumbling over. He felt betrayed, completely and utterly heartbroken. Yet atvthe very same time, he couldn't be more thankful for Otabek and what he did. He could feel the hot tears streaming down his cheeks and quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand, sniffling slightly before looking back up at Otabek, mind racing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yuri sniffled, wiping at his eyes and nose with his sleeve, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I wanted to protect you, keep you safe." Otabek admitted, lowering his head, feeling too ashamed to look at Yuri right now.

"No, why didn't you tell me you liked me?" Yuri chuckled, once again wiping at his eyes. Otabek's head shot up and a strong blush instantly painted his cheeks red.

"Because, quite frankly I've never had feelings for anyone before. Then you came along and I just knew it, you're special. Wait, are you not mad at me for killing someone?" Otabek was overly confused at this moment in time. Yuri's shoulders rose and fall in a sigh.

"Of course I am. It's not a good thing. I hate that you did that, and I hate that was your past. What's the chances of you being discovered?" Yuri asked, tucking his pale blonde hair behind his ear.

"Little to nothing. I'm careful with how I work Yuri."

Yuri stared at Otabek with a blank look. "Do you promise me you'll never kill again?"

"Yes." His answer was short, simple and truthful. The past was behind him now and he was ready to move on. He was ready to get out of this small little down and find somewhere better to settle down. If thag be with Yuri by his side, that would be everything he wished.

"One chance, Altin. You hurt or kill anyone again and I'm gone for good. You understand?" Otabek frantically nodded, his heart racing in his chest as he watched Yuri stand up straight, arms crossed over his chest. "I really shouldn't be doing this, you know?"

"I know, but I couldn't be more thankful Yuri."


	16. Casualty (Multiple)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It'll be too long and give away the plot. Just know that Otayuri, Victuuri, Sara x Mila and a few cheeky others are involved. There will be things that arent canon, such as two characters being brothers. Thats all I'm saying. All characters are aged up and over the age of 20 in this. Warning for homophobic language, injury, etc etc.

It had been a somewhat pleasant day in A & E. It wasn't as busy as it usually got, but there were nurses and doctors still rushing around from bed to bed, trying their best to help everyone and anyone they could. Otabek had just gotten back from a call and was no on break, resting himself in the break room and grabbing himself a snack to keep his energy up. He was enjoying the quiet and having it to himself. That didn't last long, because almost as soon as he had settled, his fellow nurse came barging in, whistling and humming to her hearts content.

"Could you be anymore noisy?" Otabek joked, taking another bite of his sandwhich as he stared up at his crimson haired coworker.

"Yes, actually. Just come back from a job then?" Mila asked, tucking a strand of her wavy hair behind her ear as she switched the kettle on, tapping her foor as she waited for it to boil. Otabek nodded and stretched his arms out, letting himself groan.

"Yeah, old lady had fallen over, bless her soul," Otabek chuckled, watching as Mila grinned and rolled her eyes. "Any plans for tonight then?"

"You bet. Sara and I have decided to have a movie night in. It'll be great, haven't bene able to relax for ages." Mila sighed happily, pouring the boiling water into her cup before stirring a little. She reached into the small mini fridge below her and grabbed the milk, pouring a little into her tea.

"Lucky you. Wish I could have a night like that with Yuri." Otabek mumbled, finishing off the last on his sandwich before discarding the wrapper into the waste bin.

"Why can't you?" The crimson haired nurse frowned, squeezing her tea bag against the side of the cup before taking it out and throwing it away. She stirred it once more before looking back at Otabek.

"Yuri's grandfather and brother don't know that he's gay. They'd kill him." It was hard for Otabek to accept the fact that whilst he was openly bi, Yuri was trapped still, and that if there was any sort of suspicion he was gay, that'd be it for him. He wanted to be able to tell the world that he was madly in love with Yuri, and that Yuri was his. He wanted to be able to kiss him and hug him and hold his hand, but he knew that wasn't going to be a possibility.

"Ah right. I'm sorry Beka. One day though, yeah?" Mila grinned, picking up the mug and taking a quick sip from it.

Otabek grinned at Mila; Beka was a stupid nickname she'd given him ages ago and it'd stuck with him since then. Mila and Otabek were practically best friends, they went to each other about anything and everything. They were almost like brother and sister in a way. There wasn't a duo that was any better.

The break rook door clicked open and another doctor walked in, looking stressed as ever.

"Don't tell me, let me guess!" Mila joked, pretending to ponder over what had got their co-worker so stressed out. "Aha, stubborn teenager who doesn't want their make up ruined!"

"Stubborn teenager alright," Mickey complained, pushing his auburn hair back from his face. "Fell out a tree whilst trying to show off and has fractured his wrist pretty bad."

"Ah, the adventures of teenage life." Otabek laugehd, causing Mickey to glare at him from across the room. Mickey was an italian doctor that had moved to the UK a few years back. One of the best of the team, but had a somewhat short temper. Mila's girlfriend, Sara, was his sister. At first Mickey and Mila struggled to get along, but now they just managed to get by without tearing into each other.

"Right, I best get back to him and see if he'll let me do this cast or if I'll have to call someone else in."

"Bye Mickey." Mila and Otabek spoke in unison. Mila leant against the counter top and continued to sip at her tea, finally being able to relax.

"When you back on duty?" Mila asked, making her was over to Otabek before plopping herself down enxt to him on the couch.

"Another 45 minutes yet." Otabek groaned and stretched again, letting himsef relax into the comfort of the couch. The teo chatted for a while longer, about how each others relationship was going and all.

Mila and Sara had met through Mickey when he first transferred here. It was an instant connection, and before long the two girls were dating. Everyone knew and everyone was more than accepting. In fact, most of their co workers had called it before it even happened. Even Otabek. Mila would not shut up about Sara, and it was obvious just how much this girl meant to her. Otabek wouldn't be surprised if they ended up getting married soon.

Yuri and Otabek had met through a friend.  Yuri was a generally loud person, not afraid to voice his opinions, even if theh weren't the nicest of ones. He had a short temper and would often blow up whenever someone disagreed with him. But around Otabek, it was like he was a completely different person. Shy, quiet, smiley. His laugh was the most melodic thing Otabek had heard. His eyes shone with this fighting gleam. His smile could bring word peace, if Yuri wasn't constantly the one causing chaos. The two men ended up getting pretty close. It was only then it became apparent that they would have to keep on the downlow. Yuri explained to Otabek about how strict and old school his grandfather and brother were. They hated anyone who wasn't white, hated gays, hated anyone that wasn't them and had different views. Yuri was almost a complete opposite to his family in some ways. Otabek feared for Yuri's safety.

The break room door opened and a fellow co worker stuck his head round the door. "Mila, we need you. There is a couple that needs to be checked out."

"On it!" She grinned, downing the last of her tea and running off to help.

****

Mila tucked her hair back behind her ear as she made her way over to the bed she was instructed to help at. She took a deep breath before pulling back the curtain and smiling at the two. She closed the curtain behind her and walked over to the left side of the bed, smiling at the two men in front of her.

"How can I help today?" She asked, looking at the two infront of her. It was no doubt they were a couple. Early thirties, late twenties seemed to be the right age boundries for them. The one on the bed had dark black, scraggy hair and a pair of glasses. He looked somewhat panicked that he was in a hospital right now. His partner had silver hair, his fringe drooping over his left eye. He too seemed worried, Mila could tell by the look in his eyes and the grip he had on his partners hand.

"Well, we decided that we wanted to have a day to ourselves for once. Mr. I-Can-Do-Everything over here decided we should go ice skating," Mila raised a brow as the dark haired one spoke, already amused by this story. "Long story short, I can't stay upright and he's heavy."

The other man gasped and looked at his partner. "I am not heavy!"

Mila chuckled as the two continued to bicker. She picked up the clip board and checked over the details of the patient in this bed. Look's like his name is Yuuri Nikiforov, and it seem's he has injured his leg in some way.

"So, Yuuri, correct?" Mila pointed to the one sat on the bed and he nodded, a smile replacing his small frown.

"Yes, and this here is my husband Viktor." He grinned, glancing back at his husband with that look Mila knew all too well. Bless these two, they were very obviously start struck for one another.

"Well it's nice to meet you both. How long have you been married then?" Mila asked as she placed the clipboard back at the end of the bed and began checking Yuuri out for any other signs of injuries.

"Roughly 4 years now." Viktor spoke up before Yuuri could, and the great big smile on his face told it all. There was no other smile in the world which could express how much love these two harboured.

"That's amazing. Congrats to you both!" She chirped, finally finishing checking over Yuuri. "Well it seems you have no other obvious injuries. Is it just your leg that is hurting then?"

Yuuri nodded his head, Viktor squeezing his hand for reassurance. Mila nodded and explained to Yuuri how he would need an x-ray, and would be wheeled in as soon as there was a slot for him. The two men thanked Mila before she left, the two looking less panicked than before.

"I'm sorry, Yuuri." Viktor groaned, leaning hid forehead on his partner's shoulder, squeezing his hand tightly. Yuuri chuckled and pressed a kiss into Viktor's hair, squeezing his hand back.

"Viktor, you don't need to apologise. It was an honest mistake." Yuuri muttered, reassuring his husband that there was no need to get anymore upset over this matter.

"I just wanted to have a nice day out and I ruined it." Viktor grumbled into Yuuri's shoulder, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Now now, I won't be having any of this." Yuuri warned, pushing Viktor back from his shoulder so he could look him in the eye.

"I didn't mean to hurt you..." Viktor trailed off, his eyes welling with tears as he quickly wiped them with his sleeves. Yuuri's face fell from his stern expression as he watched Viktor try to hide the fact he was crying.

"I know baby, I know. You didn't mean to. I'm okay, no need for tears now." Yuuri hushed him, shuffling closer to the edge of the bed so he could wrap his arms around Viktor in a tight hug. He didn't want Viktor thinking this was all his fault because it wasn't, and he absolutely hated seeing his husband so upset. Viktor rarely ever got upset or cried. It was such a strange and alien sight to see.

****

Otabek was leaning on the front desk, chatting with some of his coworkers whilst he waited to be called out again. It'd been a quiet day so far and Otabek was thankful; he was absolutely exhausted. The doors behind him slammed open and an old man was rushed through, startling everyone. People were gathered around him, trying to figure out what was going on and what going to be the best way to sort him and save his life. This seemed to be serious as there were so many doctors around him. They swiftly made a decision to move him to a better place and wheeled him over to the large elevator. It was all done and over with within mere seconds.

"What happened?" Otabek asked, looking around to see if anyone could answer his question. Another paramedic by the name of Seung explained to Otabek how this old man had been involved in a bar fight. Said how there were others involved too and they should be arriving any moment now and that Otabek would have to see them through if they needed it.

"Otabek, Yuri's here." Mila ran upto Otabeks side and tapped on his shoulder, grabbing his attention away from the other paramedic. His heart dropped as she said that.

"What, why? Is he okay?!" Otabek asked in a rush, trying to push past Mila to find where Yuri was situated.

"Otabek, you can't! He's okay, just a few grazes to the face. He was really lucky. His grandfather however, he isn't. He's in real bad shape." Mila explained, having to hold Otabek from rushing off in search of his partner. Eventually he calmed down and looked at Mila, his face panic struck.

"When can I see him?" He mumbled, hands rested on Mila's shoulders as he spoke to her.

"I'm not sure, Beka. Give it some time." Mila answered back, before walking off to see to her other patients. Otabek glanced around before speed walking off to find where Yuri was. If he could just see him and know that he was okay, that's all that would matter to him.

****

Yuri had been involved in a bar fight, along with his grandad, after his brother and grandpa had shouted racial slurs at some people across the pub. They walked outside and as soon as they had, a fight had started. Yuri had said nothing to these other people, and had told both sides to calm down, yet he was still struck in the head with a beer bottle. It smashed on inpact and a few shards of shattered glass were lodge in his forehead, but nothing serious. All that needed was for them to be taken and out and cleaned. He got kicked down once and then left alone, that was it. He stayed curled up on the floor until the other group ran away.

His grandpa however, he'd been knocked down, beaten, kicked, left for dead. No doubt he'd have broken bones, and his shoulder was dislocated. Yuri managed to scramble to his feet and stay by his grandpas side until help arrived. They confirmed his shoulder was definitely dislocated and that he had a few broken bones. They didn't know what internal damage had been done yet, and hope that it would be nothing serious.

Yuri had ridden in the back of the ambulance with his grandpa, worry streaming through his veins. He wanted his grandpa to be okay.

They rushed his grandpa in, leaving Yuri to follow behind as fast as he could. However, they made Yuri stay behind when they had to rush him upstairs to be able to do more tests. He was left sat alone in the waiting area, his face had now been cleaned up and he was checked over to make sure he had no other injuries. He sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Waited to hear any sort of news about how his grandpa was doing, or whether he was still alive.

Otabek was practically rushing around to see where on earth Yuri may be at this moment. He rushed into the waiting area and saw Yuri sat there, head hung low as he sat alone. He let out a sigh of relief and walked over to Yuri, clearing his throat to make himself known. The blonde looked up from where he was sat, eyes teary and face scarred. Otabek sat himself next to Yuri and before he could say anything, Yuri had his arms firmly wrapped around Otabek, hugging him tightly.

"Oh Gosh Yuri, what have you gotten yourself into?" Otabek mumbled, hugging his boyfriend back as he buried his face in his shoulder.

"Is my grandpa okay?" Yuri asked, pulling back from the hug to look at Otabek. The older man shrugged his shoulders truthfully, not having heard anything on his grandpa at all. Yuri sighed and shook his head, pushing his hair back out of his face.

"I'm glad you're okay. I was so worried..." Otabek trailed off, leaning down slightly to try catch Yuri's eye. The blonde had his face in his hands, tapping his foot on the ground as he waited.

"Yuri? You can come and see your grandpa now." A voice came from behind him, and both Otabek and Yuri turned towards the source. It was Mila, and she a clipboard in her hands. She smiled at the couple as they got up and followed her to where Yuri's grandpa was.

Otabek and Mila stayed outside the room whilst Yuri went in. The two coworkers turned to each other and sighed, before walking off and leaving Yuri to have a moment with his grandpa. The room was practically silent, apart from the constant monotone beep of the heart monitor. Yuri dragged his feet as he shuffled over to his grandpas side, forcing a weak smile as he gazed down at him on the bed.

"Hi, Gramp." Yuri muttered, watching his grandad smile up at him with all his effort. Yuri wiped under his eyes with his sleeve as he leant down and hugged his grandpa, being careful of all the tubes and wires attached to him.

"Yuri," His grandpa spoke, hugging his grandson back, letting out a small groan. "Bastards, the lot of them."

"Gramp, don't speak of them like that," Yuri's voice was low and meek, like he was scared to tel his grandpa that. "They aren't bad people."

"They are. The whole lot of them. Need to go back to where they came from. Stupid fags." Yuri's heart was thumping in his chest. Why did his grandpa have to be such a vile person at times?

"Please, they aren't bad people!" Yuri begged, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind his ear. His grandpa glared at him for a second.

"With how much you're defending them I would expect you to be one." He spat, and Yuri had to look away for a second. He took a deep breath before looking back at his grandpa, tears stinging his eyes.

"Would that be so wrong?" The young man asked, sniffling at the end of his sentence. His grandpa scoffed and turned his head away from Yuri. "Would it?!"

"I knew it," He simply stated, turning his head back to look at Yuri. His gaze was low and unforgiving. Without warning he sat up and lunged forward as best he could, grabbing Yuri's jacket and tugging him close. "Go. Go and don't you ever come back. You're disgusting."

"Gramps-"

"Go!" He bellowed, and let go of Yuri's jacket, causing his grandson to stumble backwards. Yuri let out a small sob as his hand moved to cover his mouth. His grandpa let out a loud groan of pain a she held his shoulder and multiple doctors rushed in, escorting Yuri from the room as quick as they could.

****

"Yuuri, you got lucky!" Mila chimed, smiling at the couple. They both sighed and seemed to relax a great deal at this news.

"Oh thank goodness." Viktor grinned, pressing a swift kiss to his husbands cheek. Yuuri blushed and hid his face away in his free hand, his other still being held by Viktor.

"It'll be sore for a few days, but all you've done is manage to bruise it. Take it easy, and stay off the ice for a bit. You can go whenever you please." Mila joked, nodding to the two before she left them to theirselves, grinning to herself as she walked over to the front desk.

She sorted out a few papers and made sure everything was in the right places before she was interrupted by a loud and rather boisterous man.

"Where's my grandfather?" He yelled, slamming his hands down on the front desk, causing Mila to raise a brow at this unacceptable behaviour. This guy was tall, muscular, had dark hair and blue eyes. Any womans dream, correct? Nope, not for Mila at least.

"Sir, if you could calm down and act in a sensible manner we could help you quicker." She spoke in a calm tone, not letting this prick get the best of her.

"I don't care! My grandfather could be dying and you're here refusing to-"

"JJ, please!" Yuri called, running up behind him and grabbing his jacket, yanking him backwards. He seemed to calm down as soon as he saw Yuri, but still had the look of pure anger in his eyes. "We can't see him right now, he's not great."

"Is he going to be okay?" JJ asked, grabbing Yuri by the shoulders and looking down at him, concern ridding him of any left over anger.

"I-I don't know." Yuri was shaky as he spoke, shaking his head as he took a step back from JJ.

Yuuri and Viktor watched the scene unfold as they were signing paper works so they could leave, Viktor scoffing at the loud mouthed man. How dare he do that. Have some damn respect.

JJ looked over at Viktor when he scoffed and glared straight at him, dropping his hands to his sides. Yuri got this sudden panicked look on his face as she saw where JJ was looking. Yuuri sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that Viktor wasn't one to back out a verbal confrontation.

"You got a problem, asshole?" JJ scowled, walking right up to Viktor. Viktor simply raised a brow and stared at JJ. "Answer me!"

"Do you have to be so loud and obnoxious?" Viktor stated, cocking his head to the side like a confused puppy. Yuuri mentally face palmed, knowing this was only going to get Viktor put in a hospital bed with a broken nose and brusied ribs.

"Excuse me but my grandfather is dying!" JJ made it known to the whole hospital, and Viktor didn't budge. He leaned to the side and glanced behind the man stood infront of him, looking at Yuri.

"So is his. He isn't being loud and making an unnecessary scene, is he?" Viktor was right. "Many people here have family members dying, but they aren't making a big scene. You're just being disrespectful."

JJ growled and went to turn away, when he saw Yuuri cowering behind Viktor, their hands interlocked. The anger was back and twice as heavy. JJ pushed Viktor out the way and had Yuuri back up against the desk. "So you're fags, huh?"

"Right, that's it. Get out!" Mila shouted, grabbing JJ by his arm and escorting him out, despite his many struggles. She would not stand for this sort of behaviour in a hospital.

Yuuri let out a deep breath once JJ had been pulled off of him, and Viktor was right by his side, as was Yuri and teo other doctors. Yuuri was obviously shaken up by the whole ordeal, but Viktor was there to comfort him and keep him safe. They hugged tightly, calming themselves down as the staff apologised for such awful behaviour, and checked to see if they were both okay.

"I'm sorry about my brother, he has issues," Yuri spoke up, fiddling with his fingers. His head hung low as he spoke to the two men in front of him, worried they would think he was like his brother. "Are you both okay?"

"Yes, we're fine." Yuuri grinned, letting out a short sigh. He grinned up at Viktor, arms wrapped around his waist.

"You two are brothers?" Viktor asked, raising a brow at the younger man stood in front of him. Yuri nodded, tucking his hair behind his ear as he sighed.

"Adoptive. Still just as tragic," The three of them laughed, before Mila tapped Yuri on the shoulder, asking him to follow her. "I'm sorry, once again. Have a good day!"

****

Yuri and JJ stood at the end of their grandfathers bed, the heart monitor beeping in the background. He wasn't moving, he was unconscious. Yuri knew it was his fault he was like this. JJ had no clue at all.

Otabek was stood at the back of the room, arms crossed over his chest as he watched on. Mila was also there, along with another doctor, Emil. He was the one who had managed to get their grandfather back in a somewhat stable state.

"When's he going to wake up?" Yuri asked. JJ sighed in frustration, soon storming out the room, leaning Yuri on his own again. Mila walked over to him and rested a hand on his back, trying to console him.

"We aren't sure, I'm afraid." Mila glanced back at Otabek, and he promptly left the room. Yuri let out a shaky sigh. All of a sudden, the heart monitor started beeping; not a normal beep, but a loud warning alert. Emil and Mila looked at each other, swiftly moving to figure out what was happening with him. Yuri started to panic, taking a few steps back as the doctors worked around his grandfather.

"He's going into cardiac arrest." Emil stated. Mila left Emil for a second to get Yuri out the room, having to drag him out whilst he was screaming and crying for his grandfather.

It was an hour before Yuri finally got any news on how his grandfather was doing. JJ and him were sat in the family waiting room by themselves, silence surrounding them. A doctor walked into the room, looking at the two before him before giving them a sorry smile, sitting down opposite them.

He explained how they had not been able to resuscitate their grandfather and that he had unfortunately passed away. Yuri once again broke down in tears, JJ wrapping an arm around his shoulder and hugging him close into his side, managing to keep a brave face on for his younger brother.

They were left to mourn by themselves for a short while. They said nothong to each other, just sat in the silence and kept thoughts to themselves. Yuri looked up as Otabek walked past the family waiting area, glancing at Yuri before disappearing.

"I'm going to go stretch my legs." Yuri mumbled out, wiping his eyes as he walked out the room, leaving JJ behind.

"Stay safe."

****

Yuri followed Otabek out to where the ambulances were parked, walking slow with his hands in his pockets as he approached the vehicles where Otabek was. The older man spotted him and flashed him a solemn smile.

"Hey." Yuri sniffled, standing opposite to Otabek as he leant back against the ambulance, hands still buried deep in his pockets.

"Im really sorry about your dad," Otabek sighed, watching as Yuri leant his head back against the ambulance, taking in a deep shaky sigh. " If there's anything that I can do."

"Like what? Turn back time?" Yuri spoke, his voice thick with tears as he tried to stay calm. Yuri looked at Otabek, tears staining his cheeks. The low light of the evening made Yuri look beautiful, even in this horrific time.

"Even if I could," Otabek paused, taking a step towards his partner. "It wouldn't change anything would it?"

"Maybe not." He breathed, clearing his throat as he let his gaze wonder. "If I hadn't said those things to him he would..."

"It's not your fault, Yuri." Otabek interrupted him, grabbing Yuri by the shoulders. The younger man once again let the tears spill, cascading down the already dry tracks of his previous tears.

"Yeah but you didn't see the way he looked at me. He wasn't even angry, he was just.. Hurt," Yuri sobbed out, looking at Otabek with a pained expression. Otabek pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to hold back the tears, not wanting Yuri to become any more distressed than he already was. "And then he was gone! And-"

"Come here." The evening air was chilly as it nipped around them. Otabek pulled Yuri in for a tight hug, the younger of the two breaking down in Otabek's arms. He needed to cry, he needed to get this out of his system. Letting yourself grieve always made the heeling process so much easier. Otabek gently rubbed Yuri's back as his boyfriend sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder. "You told him the truth. You told him who you really are."

Silence fell between them, Yuri's sobs eventually calming into occasional sniffles and weakened whimpers. The blodne pulled back from his partner's embrace, letting his forehead rest against Otabek's. Before long, their lips were on each others, the two sharing a soft, tender, emotional kiss. Otabek moved his hands to rest on Yuri's cheeks, Yuri's hands falling to rest on Otabek's waist. They both knew this was a risky and stupid thing to do, but neither of them wanted this to end. They both needed this comfort, this safe place to go. It was Otabek who pulled back first, shaking his head a little as he rested his forehead on Yuri's once again.

"No no no, you're upset." He whispered, caressing his tear soaked cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. Yuri sniffled as he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second, more tears cascading down his cheeks.

"Yeah and right now, you're the only thing that makes any sense." His voice was hoarse from crying and yelling, but he sounded like a desperate child, begging for help. Begging for someone to save him, to be there for him.

They stayed in each other's embrace for a little while longer, before Yuri eventually took a step back, his hands falling from where they rested on Otabek's waist, taking a deep breath as he wiped under his eyes. Otabek sighed as he glanced at Yuri, dropping his hands by his side.

"I should go. My uh, my family need me. Things are going to get difficult now... And my brother," He looks at Otabek with a scared look, and Otabek knows exactly what he was about to tell him. He'd seen thatv very look before, when they had first started seeing each other. "He cannot known about this."

"He won't. Not from me, anyway." Otabek assured him, following it up with a solemn smile.

"Okay, I'll be seeing you." Yuri nodded towards Otabek before shoving his hands back in his pockets, taking a few steps back as he managed a smile for Otabek.

"I'll be here." Otabek pointed to where he was standing, watching as Yuri turned on his heel and disappeared back into the warmth of the hospital.

Otabek took in a deep, shaky breath as he wiped under his eyes, removing any evidence that he had been crying just seconds before. He got back to sorting out the ambulance, ready to be called out when he needed.

All Otabek wanted to do was be there for Yuri in this tough time and he knew that wouldn't be able to be a possibility. He would do anything to make him smile and keep those tears at bay. He would do anything to see him smile and laugh again.

Maybe one day.


	17. Who Were You Calling? (Otayuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek constantly hears Yuri talking on the phone to someone. He gets down to finding out who it is.

"Okay, thank you again, bye." Yuri hung up the phone with a sigh and placed it on the bedside table, running his fingers back through his hair. He felt as if he shouldn't be doing this, after all, what if Otabek found out? He would leave him for sure. The blond pushed himself up from where he sat on the bed and straightened out his shirt, before walking over to the door and open it. It startled him to see Otabek waiting there, arms over his chest as he blocked the door way, meaning Yuri wasn't able to get through.

"Calling someone again?" Otabek asked, raising a brow at the shorter man in front of him. Yuri scoffed at this, trying his best to push past Otabek, only to be blocked off as he slammed his arm against the door frame. "Who is it? Your girlfriend?"

"Stop being so childish, Beka. It's for work." He didn't want to have to deal with Otabek's funny moods at this point in time, as he could get real stroppy when properly provoked. It wasn't for work; that was a fat lie and they both knew it.

"Yeah, of course. Yuri Plisetsky, who can't leave the damn house, phoning up about work?" Otabek poked, purposely trying to het to Yuri to see if it would help him further in his case. Nope, it just resulted as a pissed off Russian man pushing him away from the door so he could finally make his way through.

"You need to be careful with what you say." Yuri stopped as he pushed past Otabek, mumbling with a hint of sadness about him. He wouldn't turn back to look at Otabek, his back was towards him as he spoke. Otabek just laughed at Yuri; what had happened to this relationship?

They used to be close; the type of close no one could ever beat. They knew everything and anything about each other. The two of them had this beautiful relationship which made everyone envious, but where had that gone? The cuddles, the kisses, the compliments? They had faded into lonely nights, excuses and arguments. When had this all happened? What had been the trigger for it all?

It made Yuri feel _worthless_ and he wanted nothing more than to escape from that feeling that was slowly eating him alive. This wasn't the Otabek that Yuri knew and fell madly in love with. He was cold, uncaring, nasty. It all seemed to stem from these phone calls. Why was it so important that Otabek knew who Yuri was constantly in contact with? These phone calls were practically his life line.

Yuri stood in the kitchen, making himself a snack and trying to distract his mind from wherever it may wonder. The two hadn't talked since the argument at he door, but this was usual protocol now. It was to be expected. All Yuri wanted was to feel loved again.

"Yura..?" Otabek's soft voice came from the kitchen doorway, and Yuri instantly froze up. He dropped what he was doing and turned to face Otabek, raising a brow to see what he wanted.

"Don't call me that." Yuri scolded, watching as Otabek's face turned into a sour frown at his words.

"You used to love it when I called you that." Otabek mumbled, runnjng a hand back through his hair to push it out his face. The blond shrugged and let out a sharp sigh, turning back to continue making the food.

"Yeah, well I used to love it when you actually loved me, too." The room went almosy completely silent after that remark, all you could hear was Otabek sigh from behind Yuri.

"Do you honestly feel that way?" He asked, walking himself up next to Yuri, standing over him whilst he continued to make the food. Yuri didn't move, didn't miss a beat whilst cutting up the sandwiches. Not even a glance to the side. "Yuri, have I made you feel that way?"

"Honestly? Yes." It was harsh and short, but it was the truth nonetheless. Otabek mouthed a small 'oh' at this discovery, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leant back against the counter top. Yuri slammed the knife down on the counter top and turned to face him, honestly fed up of Otabek acting like he doesn't realise how much he is hurting Yuri.

"Do you care, Otabek? It sure as hell doesn't feel like it. All you do is make me feel like shit! You won't hug me or kiss me anymore, you stay away from me at all possible times! I'm trying my hardest for this to continue on but it doesn't feel like you want it to anymore. What have I done so wrong for you to discard of me to the side like you have done?" Yuri snapped, thankful that he had put the knife down at the point. The shocked look on Otabek's face wasn't enough to full Yuri, he could see right through him.

"Who have you been calling? Why can't you tell me?" Otabek replied back with, turning the situation onto Yuri. This infuriated the blond man, and without anothe rword he stormed off upstairs and locked himself away in the spare room where he had been sleeping.

Yuri leant his back against the door, breathing heavy and erratic. His chest burned and it hurt to breath, and the world around him seemed to be going fuzzy. Soon enough he was sat on the floor, back still up against the door as he held a hand to his chest, trying to calm himself down. He knew what he had to do.

After managing to somewhat calm himself, Yuri pushed himself up and went over to sit on the bed. He grabbed his phone and wuickly dialed the number he had called so many times before.

"Hello? Hi, it's Yuri again."

****

Over the next week or so, the two rarely spoke to each other or had any interaction. They hated it, they really did. They both craved each other, but right now wasn't the correct time.

Otabek believed that Yuri was cheating on him. He'd been ever so distant as of late, and would lock himself in the spare room for hours on end, just talking with someone. At first Otabek had just innocently asked who Yuri was phoning that late at night, only to get snapped at and ignored. He had wondered for a long time what he had done so wrong. Yuri didn't seem the least bit interested in him anymore, and Otabek didn't feel the need to waste his time on someone who didn't put time into him. It was all give from his end, never did he recieve anything back. Yet no Yuri is acting like he cared all this time? It seemed funny to Otabek, and there was obviously going on with Yuri that he needed to get to the bottom of. Yuri had never been secretive, so why was he being so now?

Nothing really added up. Yuri rarely left the house. He wasn't really eating as much as he should. He cut off contact with everybody. Well, almost every body. He never seemed to smile, or laugh like he used to. All interest he had for life was gone. Otabek blamed himself for it all and he loathed himself for it. No one deserves to be made to feel like they are worthless and that no one cares.

Otabek wanted to put this right, for the both of them. Whether they stayed together after it or decided it would be better to go seperate ways, then so be it.

It had never been easy for Otabek to talk about he truly felt, yet here he stood outside Yuri's door, almost too terrified to knock. He mustered up the courage at last and knocked, and the faint shuffling of the bed and feet on the floor could be heard. The door opened to an exhausted looking Yuri.

"What do you want?" He snapped, looking Otabek up and down with a sharp glare. It made Otabek nervous, and it shouldn't.

"Yuri, can we talk? Please. I'm worried about you. I'm worried about us."

"Why are you suddenly so worried now?" Yuri laughed, opening up the door to let Otabek in, as much as he really didn't want to. Otabek made his way in and sat himself on the bed, Yuri almost instantly sitting himself next to him. They missed this.

"I've been worried for ages, Yuri. I've just... not had the guts to speak up. We need to talk, about us." Otabek said the words he had dreaded most, and now there was no way he could turn back or get out of this situation.

"I agree. Let me start. Do you still care about me at all?" The Russian sure as hell wanted to get this started with, and there was no stopping him now.

"Of course I do. Do you care about me?"

Yuri was silent for a second, before lowering his head with a small sigh, his voice low and quiet as he spoke. "More than anything in this world."

"See? We both still obviously care for each other. Do you trust me?" Otabek changed the question, raising a brow at Yuri as he raised his head to glance at him.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Yuri let himself smile ever so slightly, and even that was a sign that they were managing to get somewhere with this.

"Then why won't you tell me who you were calling?" Otabek didn't want to start getting angry again, but the thought of Yuri possibly cheating on him made his heart shatter and his blood boil.

"I told you, it's just work." Yuri muttered, fiddling with his fingers and refusing to look at Otabek. Each passing moment made Otabek even more ticked off.

They sat in a brief silence, before something caught Otabek's eye. In the corner sat Yuri's phone; he had never been one that was good at hiding objects. It was a spilt second decision but Otabek took it, pushing himself off the bed and racing over to grab the phone. Yuri was hot on his heels as he tried to snatch it back out of Otabek's hands, practically begging for him to give it back.

"You trust me, right? If you trust me then let me call this number and see who you have been talking to!" Otabek raised his voice, holding his arm up so Yuri was unable to reach his phone. It was obvious he was highly distressed right now, and it looked like he may break down at any given second. Eventually Yuri gave up, tears welling up in his eyes as he sat himself in the bed, trying to keep his tears at bay. Otabek looked at him, his heart shattering at the sight of Yuri so distressed. But he was going to get to the bottom of this anonymous caller once and for all.

He pressed the most recent phone number in the call log and held the phone up against his ear, waiting to see who answered. After a few rings the phone was answered, and a female voice ran down the line. Otabek was ready to settle this once and for all, now all he need was to prove that-

" _Hello, Suicide Hotline, how may I help?_ "

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Otabek went blank, the words ' _suicide hotline_ ' buzzing around in his head. He eventually hung up after a few seconds and turned to look at Yuri, dropping the phone on the floor out of shock. Otabek had never felt such a gun wrenching feeling rip through him.

"Yuri, why didn't you tell me?" Otabek's vocie cracked as he spoke, emotion seeping through how he spoke. Yuri sat on the bed, saying absolutely nothing, his head hung low as he stayed silent. "Yura?"

Within seconds of Otabek saying that, the blond sat cross legged on the bed was in tears, hands pressed against his face to try and stop the tears from flooding down his cheeks. Otabek was swift to love and sit himself next to Yuri, holding his partner in his arms as he cried his poor little heart out. This hurt so much more than the thought of Yuri cheating on him. It explained everything.

No matter what Otabek did, Yuri wasn'ta ble to stop the flow of tears. This wasn't just any sort of cry, Yuri was in pain. Pain that Otabek would never be able to explain nor feel. The way he cried ripped straight through Otabek, sending a chilling shiver up his spine. Soon enough it had gotten to Otabek too, and he was crying too, gently rocking Yuri in his arms as they both sobbed. He pressed a gentle and reassuring kiss to the top of Yuri's head, holding him tightly against his chest. He still wasn't calming, his cries growing louder and louder as they sat together. This was absolute hell for Otabek, because he knew he could do nothing.

"Yuri, it's okay, I'm here. You're not alone anymore, it'll be okay kitten. It will all be okay. I promise you. I love you." Otabek muttered through his tears, the words and the gentle tone of Otabek's voice managing to calm the sobbing man in his arms.

"I was so scared, Beka, I was so scared..." Yuri sobbed out, face still buried in Otabek's shoulder.

"I know Yura. I know. But I'm here now and I'm never letting you go. I promise you."

 


	18. Just Add Water (Victuuri)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor is a merman who likes to swim close to the surface. Yuuri is a lonely human who likes to walk along the beach. What else did you expect to happen?

Viktor had always had a fascination with the sea. After all, he lived on the coast of Australia, after moving there a few years ago with his family on a business trip. It seemed only right that thing crazy thing would happen to him of all people.

After a suggestion from his father, the two of them went on a camping trip to a large island not too far from the coast. The island used to host an active volcano, but it hadn't erupted or shown any signs of activity for almost 25,000 years. It was pretty much extinct, even if they still classed it as a dormant one. The two explored the island for a while before deciding on a place to camp out for the night. It was a lovely clear day and super warm too, so Viktor decided that he wanted to go and explore some more. His father let him of course, just making him promise to be back for dinner that night.

Out of all the things that could happen, he never expected to stumble into a cave with a strange pool in it. It was obvious it lead out to the ocean, but you could get in and out through the entrance of the cave if swimming didn't take your fancy. The tidal pool had a strange sparkle too it, and looked oh so tempting to jump in. He made a note of the place to come back for a late night swim.

Later that night, staying true to his word, Viktor decided to go for a dip in the strange pool. The moon was high in the sky that night and the stars shone brightly, it was perfect. The water was warm as Viktor slipped into it, the moonlight reflecting on the top of the water, giving it a magical glow.

That all happened when Viktor was 16. Now, almost 12 years later at the age of 28, he still keeps this secret. No body but him knows of it. He would do anything to share this secret with someone. Anyone. It wasn't easy hiding it from the world that once you come in to contact with water, you sprout a tail and become half fish.

As he usually did on most days, Viktor decided to go for a swim just off the beach. Sure, it was a dangerous thing for him to do, but 12 years of swimming here bad never caused him any such harm. The way it felt to swim never changed; it was magical and easy, there was no other feeling in the world. It's like he was flying. He loved the way the fish would weave in and out of him, and how the dolphins would always come and find him. They loved to play games together, the dolphins favourite one being called 'Catch The Kelp' by Viktor. Dolphins were incredibly intelligent creatures and they never failed to surprise the merman.

After a while of swimming, Viktor swam back up to the surface again, brushing his soaked hair back from his face with a content sigh. He glanced over at the little cove where he had left his stuff, only to see someone sat there, knees pulled up to his chest and chin rested on his knees. He looked upset, but Viktor couldn't tell from this distance. So, as much as it was a stupid idea, he decided to swim closer to get a clearer look. A well placed rock allowed him to take a closer glimpse of the man on the shore, and Viktor was right; he was definitely upset over something. He was alone, which was relieving for the merman, but he seemed ever so lonely. Not only that, but Viktor thought he was breath takingly gorgeous. The way his fringe flopped down in front of his face and ever so slightly covered the glasses which sat on his nose, his gorgeous eyes and the adorable way he sat himsef, it all made Viktor's heart race. Now, Viktor had never really felt an attraction towards anyone, so this was strange for him. He so wanted to go over there and make him smile, because he knew it would be perfect, but the risk was too much.

Viktor wasn't going to give up though. He would find him again.

****

Later on that day, Viktor decided to visit his favourite little cafe, just off the coast a little. It was a quaint place, but had everything you needed and more. He liked to go there in his spare time, order a drink and read his books. Viktor was an avid reader to say the least. As usual, he got his drink, and went and sat in his corner booth. As he opened his book, the door opened and chimed, signalling the entry of a new customer. He looked up from where he had his finger placed in the book, only to see that man he saw from earlier. The same sad look stained his face, which made Viktor frown. How could such a beautiful human be so sad? The dark haired stranger sat himself at the bar, letting out a heavy sigh as he looked around the sparsely populated cafe. Lonely wasn't the right word to describe him, but was also the only word to describe him. Viktor needed to find out who the strange person was, and nothing was to stand in his way.

Without a moments hesitation, Viktor rose from his seat in the corner both and moved himself to sit next to the dark haired man. The stranger looked up and gave him a solemn smile, before glancing back at the juice in front of him. Maybe striking up a conversation would help things along.

"If you keep frowning, your face will stay like that." Viktor spoke, taking a quick sip from his drink before placing it back down on the counter. His joke made the man next to him laugh, even for a brief second. Viktor felt as if he had accomplished something at least.

"Is it really any of your business?" The man said, a small smile tugging at the cornee of his lips as he stirred his drink with his straw. The cafe wasn't very noisy, but a dim hum of chatter floated around enough to keep up the atmosphere.

"No, but I don't like to see anyone looking down. I've never seen you around before, are you new?" Viktor asked, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, waiting for the man to reply to his question. He shrugged, pushing his glasses back up his nose with his index finger.

"Relatively, yes. About a month or so ago. Anxiety tends to keep house ridden for a while," The strangers face went white with shock and embarrassment at what he had just so openly admitted. His face was soon covered with his hands as he let out a horrified groan. Viktor chuckled to himself. "I'm sorry, I don't usually say things like that upfront!" The man mumbled into his hands, Viktor reaching out to move them just moments after. He looked up at Viktor with this uncertain fear and panic glazing his eyes.

"It's okay, I understand. My name is Viktor, what's yours?" Viktor grinned and held out his hand for the stranger to shake, waiting as the man hesitated for a short second before taking Viktor's hand and shaking it politely.

"Yuuri, it's a pleasure to meet you." So the strangers name was Yuuri; it suit him. As did his messy, floppy fringe and stupidly big glasses.

"So, what brought you here to the coast of Australia, Yuuri?" Viktor once again rested his chin in the palm of his hand, watching how Yuuri turned his body to face him, taking a small sip from his drink before he replied.

"I don't know, it just felt... Right. Something was calling me here." Yuuri admitted, lifting his shoulders in a shrug as he tried to think of a good reason why he came here.

"Hm, that sounds interesting. If you ever need help around this place, I'll be happy to help you. You seem like you may need a helping hand from time to time."

"Yeah, I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

****

The reef had always been one of Viktor's favourite places to swim over, the large assortment of fish and other sea creatures made it a bright and colourful place to be. It never failed to bring a smile to his face.

It was his little corner of the world, which only he knew of. His little place to go when nothing else felt right. But at this moment, everything felt right. All because of this man he had met earlier.

The dolphins were playful today, but when were they not? They swam around Viktor, calling out to each other and to him, causing him to grin at them. Sadly for the dolphins, Viktor wasn't up to playing today. He just wanted to swim around and float, enjoying the warm afternoon sun.

Eventually Viktor decided to swim back up to his little cove, only to find that Yuuri was sat there again. He cursed him, but also thanked him. Viktor was tired and wanted to get back on land, but quite obviously he couldn't do that with Yuuri sat right there. Once again, Yuuri was looking upset, and Viktor just wanted to be there to comfort him.

After a while of searching, Viktor found another place he could dry off. Once he was dry, and his tail had gone, he made his way back to the little cove, to find Yuuri still sat there, knees to his chest as he stared out to see. Viktor let out a silent sigh as he looked at Yuuri, before walking over and sitting next to him.

"Fancy seeing you here?" Viktor had never been one to make himself known, and he startled Yuuri.

"Jesus, Viktor. You scared me." Yuuri pressed his hand against his chest, standing up from where he sat to go over to Viktor. They briefly smiled at each other as Yuuri dusted the sand off from his clothes.

"Is everything okay, you seem... Down?" Viktor asked, his brows furrowing into a worried frown as Yuuri's face fell, and he turned away from Viktor. "Listen Yuuri, I know we barely know each other but I'm willing to help you."

"Ever since I moved here, I've not been able to make friends, so to say. It's been lonely. I moved here from Japan as I wanted to start a life without having to rely on my parents for anything. I'm 24 years old, and I'm already failing at life. I guess I'm not the happiest of people." Yuuri shrugged, turning back to look at Viktor, hands buried deep in his pockets as he let out a deep sigh. The wind was beginning to pick up, the waves crashing against the surface of the shore harder than before. Viktor didn't really want to stay right by the waters edge if a storm was about to start up. Hell, he didn't even want to stay outside.

"Well I'm your friend now, Yuuri. Look, I think a storm is about to start. How about you come back to mine so we don't get caught in the rain. I'm not a huge fan of getting wet." Without a word from Yuuri, Viktor grabbed his wrist and started to drag himback to his house, which wasn't too far away. He just hoped he make it back before it started to rain. It wasn't ideal for someone like him to get caught out in such weather.

Thankfully they made it back just before it started to tip it down with rain. Viktor was glad that Yuuri hadn't struggled and managed to keep up with him, other wise he would've been in trouble. He welcomed Yuuri into his house and Yuuri was quick to make himself at home, finally glad that he had made a friend. After grabbing a few snacks, Viktor came and sat next to his new friend.

"Thank you for this, Viktor. You're honestly too kind." Yuuri grinned, picking up a handful of popcorn feom the bowl in front of him. The TV turned on with a click of a remote, and Viktor was soon trying to find a nice movie to put on whilst they bonded.

"No one should feel lonely, Yuuri. I have no friends either. I spend a lot of time by myself in places most people can't bear to go." A shrug of his shoulders was all it took for Yuuri to not question Viktor on what he had just said. In all honesty, he completely understood what Viktor meant.

"I told you a little about me. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Yuuri asked, picking at the popcorn in his hand. Viktor let out a quiet chuckle as he glanced at Yuuri, before turning his attention back towards the TV. They still hadn't chosen a movie yet. "Wait, I like that movie!"

Viktor raised a brow at the movie he stopped on, his attention moving from the TV to Yuuri beside him. "Aquamarine? A film about a mermaid who transforms into a human when on land, and she comes to the shore to find love?"

"Yeah, I-"

"Cute. Do you like fantasy stuff then, with mermaids and all?" Viktor interrupted Yuuri before he could say anything else, watching as the man next to him blushed and nodded, embarrassed that he would like such a childish film.

Yuuri nodded. "I guess in a way, I relate to it."

"Me too."

Viktor clicked on the movie and it started playing, and Viktor could see the grin beginning to form on Yuuri's lips. This film obviously made him happy, and Viktor was thankful for that. Yuuri had a beautiful smile.

"So, tell me about yourself." Yuuri spoke quietly as the movie played; he'd seen it enough times he could probably recite it.

"Well, I moved here from Russia when I was 16 with my family on a business trip. Been here ever since."

"Ah, you're Russian then? You still have a slight accent." Yuuri joked, throwing a piece of popcorn at Viktor, hitting his friend in the face. Viktor gasped, touching his face where the popcorn had hit him.

"How dare you throw popcorn at me!" Viktor exaggerated, throwing a piece back at Yuuri. The two of them continued like that for a while, laughing and pelting each other with popcorn pieces. It would be fun to clean up later for sure.

The two chatted at Viktor's for hours on end, getting to know almost everything and anything about each other. Viktor learnt that Yuuri used to be an avid swimmer, but due to an accident one day had to abruptly stop. Viktor wished he could take Yuuri swimming, but he was yet to know if he could trust this man. Yuuri had learnt that Viktor once had a dog named Makkachin, but sadly he had to be put down just before they moved to Australia, as he became really sick.

When they eventually looked back at the time, if was 10 P.M. I guess time really dows fly when you're having fun. Yuuri let out a sigh as he shoved his phone into his back pocket, pushing himself up from where he was slumped on the couch. Viktor frowned and also pushed himself up, walking Yuuri to the front door. Once they were at the door, Yuuri turned to face Viktor with a sad smile and a sigh.

"Thank you again, Viktor. I really had fun today. The most fun I've ever had I think." Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, a grin tugging at his lips. Viktor watched with a smile, arms crossed over his chest.

"Me too, Yuuri. I'll catch up with you tomorrow if you want? We can go get a juice or something?"

"That sounds amazing."

****

After a month of non stop talking, Viktor could definitely consider Yuuri as his closest friend. He went to him about everything, as did Yuuri. The two were never apart for long, and Viktor could definitely say he felt something for this strange man he met. Even after all this time though, Viktor felt as if Yuuri was hiding something from him.

On this day Viktor decided to go for a walk near the beach, considering it was rather empty for a Saturday. It was calming, and the sound of the wavs crahsing on the sand were just as beautiful as ever.

A voice called out to Viktor, catching his attention from the scenery. He whipped around to see Yuuri running after him, almost out of breath by the time he'd reached Viktor.

"Well well well, if it isn't Yuuri." Viktor joked, throwing an arm around his friends shoulders, causing them both to laugh.

"I knew I'd find you here." Yuuri's smile was contagious, and Viktor couldn't help but smile back at his friend. Yuuri truly was special to Viktor. He trusted him with everything. Expect, the one biggest secret in his life.

"Am I surprised?" Viktor let out a conteng sigh, removing his arm from around Yuuri's shoulders as they continued to walk down the beach. The two chatted as they strolled along the shore, enjoying the setting sun of that evening. All of a sudden, a surfer ran out from the sea, knocking straight into Viktor. Now, this wouldn't have been a problem normally, but considering this surfer was soaking wet, it was a major deal.

"I am so sorry!" The surfer exclaimed, resting his hand on Viktor's arm. Viktor just let out a frustrated sigh as he glanced at Yuuri, before taking off in the direction of the sea. He knew Yuuri would question him for this later, but he wasn't about to reveal this secret to the whole damn beach after years of keeping t a massive secret. Without a moments hesitation, once the water was deep enough, Viktor dived in. The water around him bubbled fiercely, and once the bubbles cleared, his legs were no longer there, but instead a pink and golden tail. The waves rolled above his as he swam off from the shore into deeper water, where he was sure no one would be able to follow him.

There was only one place he could go; the place where this whole shenanigan began in the first place. The little pool where the moon had transformed him into this creature, the place only he knew of.

Viktor surfaced in the tidal pool, brushing his soaking hair back from his face as he rested his arms on the edge of the pool, letting out a deep sigh. What luck did he have that a soaking wet person would run into him? And on a public beach of all damn places. He swished his tail about in the water absent mindedly as his mind ran wild, thinking of excuses he could tell Yuuri for him just randomly running off. He honestly felt mortified, and had never experienced that much fear in his whole life. It was almost like a life or death situation for him.

After a while of sulking in the tidal pool, he dragged himself out of the water and sat himself on the sandy rock surrounding him. A sigh left his lips as he held his hand over his tail, steam beginning to rise. Viktor had discovered he had this power only a few days after his first transformation. It was strange, but this power helped him dry quicker when he needed it.

He sat on the sand, knees pulled upto his chest as he stared at the water before him, watching the waves ripple and splash against the sides. What if he just stayed out here forever, so he didn't have to face Yuuri again and go through weeks of questioning? And it was still so early in their friendship too, this wasn't going at all well.

In all honesty, Viktor didn't know how long he sat there. It felt like hours, but in reality had simply been just a few minutes. He pushed himself up from the sand and dusted it off his clothes, about to walk out of his little cave when he heard the water splash behind him. He furrowed his brows in confusion, and then he heard it again. It wasn't the normal splashes he heard when the small waves hit against the sides, this was... bigger. A lot bigger.

Perhaps a dolphin had swam in and gotten itself stuck; it'd happened before when they followed Viktor in once. All he could do was jump in and calm it down before leading it back out to the reef again. Viktor turned back to the tidal pool, only to stumble back at the sight before him. There, in the tidal pool, was Yuuri. Seeing Yuuri there in general was a surprise, but seeing him with a tail? That was something Viktor never expected to see.

"Yuuri, what- How?" Viktor was too shocked to properly form sentences, but at the same time incredibly happy and relieved. Yuuri grinned at Viktor and shrugged his shoulders, his usual fringe now pushed back. He looked different; the tail was one obvious difference, but without glasses and his hair pushed back, he had this very confident aura about him.

"I had my suspicions when you didn't want to get caught in the rain, and when you just appeared out of no where on that cove. As soon as I saw the look on your face when that guy bumped into you, it proved it all. Whenever I came round yours, you were always so weary of water. That night I asked you to come round and you said you couldn't, that was a full moon." Yuuri admitted, watching as Viktor sat in front of him on the sand, Yuuri leaning his arms on the edge to lean up to Viktor. His tail was different to Viktors. It was blue and gold instead on pink and gold, but it was still ever so beautiful. It looked like the night sky on a clear night.

"But, how? If you had suspicions, why didn't you say?" Viktor raised a brow at the merman below him, watching as Yuuri chuckled at this question. Viktor was oblivious sometimes.

"I can't just blurt of that I'm a secret merman. I also can't just assume either."

"But how? How did this happened to you?"

Yuuri let out a sigh as he sunk back into the water a little, his shoulders catching a breeze and sending a chill over his body. "I was 12, and was walking along the beach near my house in Japan. I found a cave over by some rocks. It looked untouched. I snuck back there that night and sat in the pool. It was warm and it felt magical. Then, it happened. It was a full moon too. After that, I was a merman."

"Incredible," Viktor was still flabbergasted at this, and it took him a while before it finally sunk it. "Do you also have...?"

"A power?" Viktor nodded his head rapidly. Yuuri's grin turned into a cheeky smirk as he back away from the edge of the tidal pool, lifting his right hand out the water and ever so slightly bending his fingers. A ball of water shot up from the pool, and floated above Viktors head. Before he could react, Yuuri dropped it on his head, causing him to gasp. With a frustrated groan, Viktor jumped into the pool next to Yuuri, the water around them bubbling once again before Viktor surfaced, a playful frown plastered on his face.

"You little ass." Viktor flicked water up at Yuuri, earning a little yelp from him.

"Nice tail." Yuuri replied with a laugh, Viktor's face flushing a light shade of pink.

"Could say the same for you." Viktor grinned, the two of the chuckling quietly as they floated in the water, the sound of the water echoing in the cave. There was a silence between the two of them for a short while, but it was comfortable and nice, like they understood what each other were thinking.

Viktor went to say something, but was cut off when Yuuri threw himself forward and pressed his lips againsg Viktor's in a kiss. Shocked was an understatement, but he kissed back, feeling his heart racing in his chest. It didn't last long, but the lingering feeling of excitement and rush reminded as Yuuri pulled back, the two of them smiling like complete and utter idiots.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to do that for ages." Yuuri admitted, his tone soft and quiet. Viktor shook his head and kissed Yuuri again, his hands gently cupping his jaw as the water splashed around them.

"Don't apologise. I've wanted the same thing too." The two of them were both blushing, the smiles on their faces saying it all. Without another word, they both submerged themselves in the water and swam out from the cave, spending a few hours swimming over the reef together, stealing kisses from one another and sharing this little secret world of their own.


End file.
